All For Love
by Sgt. Hakeswill
Summary: Colonel Tavington and Charlotte Selton meet and soon fall in love shortly after his arrival in South Carolina, before he earns his reputation as Butcher of the Carolinas. Mature content. COMPLETE
1. An Auspicious Meeting

_Author's Note: When thinking of ideas for a new Tavington story, I wondered what might have happened if Charlotte Selton had met William Tavington shortly after his arrival in Charles Town and before he gained his reputation as the fearsome Butcher of the Carolinas. This story is what I came up with. For the purposes of this story, at the beginning of the story Charlotte is apolitical and doesn't really care which side wins the war, just so long as she can continue to maintain her standard of living. She is also not particularly attracted to her brother-in-law, Benjamin Martin, as she was in the movie. __I'm still in the process of writing this story, but I should have fairly regular updates to it.  
_

* * *

Charlotte Selton looked up in surprise as the door crashed open suddenly to admit her maidservant, Ruth. Without realizing it, she'd been dozing and the sound of the door had completely startled her.

"Begging your pardon, Missus, but we need to hurry!" the servant said, wringing her hands in nervous agitation. "The Redcoats have reached the edges of the city and Matthew said we need to leave now before they close off all the roads!" Pointing out the window, she said, "He's bringing the carriage around now."

"I can't leave Mrs Powell," Charlotte said firmly, turning to look at her elderly neighbour, who had finally fallen asleep after hours of restless pain. "There wouldn't be anyone to care for her if I left. And you know she's too ill to travel."

"What are we going to do now, Missus?" Ruth asked, glancing outside nervously.

"We'll be fine as long as we mind our own business and do nothing to call attention to ourselves," Charlotte told her stoutly. "Surely, the British will not bother a widow woman and her servants. We are no threat to them." Looking back at the sick woman, who was mumbling in her sleep, "It just can't be helped."

"If you say so, ma'am," Ruth said in a doubtful tone.

"I want you and Stephen to go home and act as if everything is normal," Charlotte said. "I will sit with Mrs Powell until morning, then I want you to relieve me. The doctor is supposed to come see her some time tomorrow morning." Looking back at the sick woman, she made a decision. "I think that after the doctor has seen her, we'll move her down to our house, where we can care for her more easily."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Make sure Stephen puts the carriage in the barn and gets the horses out of sight," the blond woman said. "I'm sure the British cavalry will be looking to confiscate good horses for their troops."

After the servants had left, Charlotte spent an uneasy night, alternating between nervously checking out the window for any sign of the presence of British troops and tending to Mrs Powell's needs. Finally, after several hours of pacing back and forth between the bed and window, she fell into a fitful slumber in a chair by the old woman's bedside.

Early the next morning, Charlotte was awakened when Ruth tapped on the bedroom door. "Missus?" Ruth whispered. "Are you awake?"

Charlotte tiptoed to the door and stepped out into the hall. "Mrs Powell had a rather restless night, but she's sleeping now," she told Ruth. "You shouldn't have any problems while waiting for the doctor to arrive."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'm going to go home now and have Bessie prepare a bedroom for her," she said. "I'll send Stephen and Isaiah up with a litter to move her after the doctor has finished with her." Moving to look out the window, she asked, "Have you seen any British soldiers yet?"

"No, ma'am," Ruth answered. "But Stephen heard some gunfire last night. There's been fighting, no doubt of that."

Charlotte sighed loudly. In his last letter to her, her brother in law, Benjamin Martin had told her to evacuate Charles Town if the British should take it, warning that British occupation would be most unpleasant. Shaking her head firmly, she put Ben's advice out of her mind. She'd made her decision to stay and care for Mrs Powell and there was no use fretting about it now. It was too late to leave and what was done, was done. She'd just have to make the best of it.

A short time later, she opened the iron gate at the edge of the Powell property, and stepped out into the street to walk home. She saw a couple of carriages further down the street, but it was oddly quiet for a Monday morning. There were few pedestrians; some of her neighbours had no doubt fled before the advancing British.

As she turned the corner to her own street, she nearly ran right into two British infantrymen. Both men gave off a distinct aroma of strong drink mixed with sweaty, unwashed clothing. Their disheveled uniforms and stubbly chins also bore witness to the fact that they'd been up all night carousing.

"Well, well, well! Look what we have here!" The first soldier said, showing grey teeth as he moved to grab Charlotte's arm. "What do you think, Peter? Shall we have us a bit of sport before reporting back for duty, eh?"

The second soldier, grabbed her other arm, grinning widely. "A fine idea, Charlie," he said. "Let's both have a go; you never know when the chance will come up again."

"Let go of me!" Charlotte said in a low voice, struggling unsuccessfully to break free of them.

"We'll let go of you soon enough when we're done with you," the first soldier snarled. "Be quiet and we won't have to hurt you."

"I would suggest that you both unhand the lady immediately," a haughty voice behind them said .

Charlotte turned and looked up to see two mounted British dragoons stopped in front of them. One was a stocky man with reddish blond hair bound neatly in a queue. The other, with an aristocratic bearing and disdainful expression, was clearly in command. His cold blue eyes and queued raven hair immediately caught Charlotte 's attention.

"We were just having a bit of fun," the first soldier said as he reluctantly released his grip on the woman's arm. "No harm done."

"Report back to your units immediately," the dark haired dragoon said, his lip curled in contempt. "If I ever see either of you again away from your units, I will not be so lenient again. Is this understood?"

"Yes, sir!" they said in unison, before hurrying away, glad to have escaped a flogging.

"Thank you, sir," Charlotte said breathlessly. "I'm grateful. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along."

"You're quite welcome," he said smoothly. "I'm glad I could be of assistance." Pausing to fish a piece of paper out of his pocket, he glanced down at it and asked, "Might you kindly be able to tell me where the John Selton residence is located?"

Charlotte's head snapped up at the mention of her husband's name. "I'm Mrs Selton," she said slowly, confused by what this British dragoon could possibly want with her dead husband. "But I'm a widow; my husband passed away quite some time ago."

"I'm Colonel William Tavington, commander of His Majesty's Green Dragoons," he said. "And this is Captain Bordon, my second in command." Handing her the paper, Tavington continued, "This is an authorization from Lord Cornwallis for Captain Bordon and I to be billeted at the John Selton residence."

"There must be some mistake," Charlotte said, frowning, as she looked blankly at the document. "I have not volunteered my home to house soldiers."

"All citizens have a duty to provide aid to His Majesty's army as is deemed necessary," he told her, a note of impatience creeping into his voice. "I can assure you that you will be fairly recompensed for your hospitality."

"Of course," Charlotte quickly agreed, not wanting to anger Tavington. "I am just curious as to how my home came to be chosen."

"I would imagine that most of your neighbours' homes have been chosen as well, considering that this street is close to army headquarters," he explained briefly.

"If you'll follow me, I'll show you the way," Charlotte said, knowing it was useless to protest any further. "It's just a few doors down."

To her surprise, Tavington dismounted. "I think I'll walk along with you," he said. "Take the reins" he said to Bordon, handing them over as he led his horse to his second in command.

"As you wish," she said, in what she hoped was a noncommittal voice, as Tavington came to stand beside her. She inhaled sharply, as his scent of leather mixed with his cologne filled her nostrils. Seeing him mounted on his horse, she'd noticed his arresting male beauty, but at close proximity, he was magnetic. Charlotte suddenly felt a warmth at the core of her being and her knees nearly buckled in reaction to his nearness. Stunned by her own reaction, she blushed furiously.

Well aware of her reaction to him, as he'd been quite the rake before leaving for the colonies and was used to such reactions from women, he smiled to himself. Gazing down at her full breasts in frank appreciation, he murmured, almost seductively, "I'm rather surprised that such a lovely woman as yourself has not remarried."

She knew she should be discomfited by his forward manner but she answered boldly. "I suppose I have not yet met the right man."

"Undoubtedly."

Charlotte did not comment. They had reached her home without further conversation. "Here we are," she said as she opened the gate. She was relieved to see her butler, Matthew, standing in the courtyard waiting for her.

"Matthew," she said. "It appears as if we will be having houseguests for an indefinite period of time." Gesturing at the dragoons, she said, "These gentlemen are Colonel Tavington and Captain Bordon."

"Yes, ma'am," he said. "Another officer has already arrived and is waiting for you in the library." Motioning to a young male servant, he indicated that he was to tend to the two dragoons' horses.

Turning to the butler, Charlotte said, "Matthew, please have Bessie prepare the far back bedroom as a sickroom for Mrs Powell. I've decided that it will be easier to care for her if we move her here."

"Right away, Miss Charlotte," Matthew said, hurrying off to do her bidding.

"Once Bessie has finished, send Stephen and Isaiah to get Mrs Powell," Charlotte continued. "Make sure Ruth stays with her until I can come check on her."

"Yes, ma'am," he said. "I'll take care of it right away."

"Thank you." Returning her attention to the waiting dragoons, she said, "Gentlemen, if you'll follow me, we'll see to your accommodations." Not waiting for a response, she immediately headed to the door to go inside.

----------------

_Next chapter: Settling In_


	2. Settling In

After opening the door to the second floor library a few moments later, Charlotte found a single green coated dragoon drinking tea on the sofa near the balcony doors. His bear fur crested helmet sat on the seat beside him. Matthew had no doubt ordered tea to be served shortly after ushering him into the room to wait.

The young officer firmly placed his cup down on a side table before standing to greet her. Somewhat below middle height, the auburn haired man radiated authority despite his youth and lack of stature.

"You must be Mrs Selton," he said, extending his hand to her. "I'm Colonel Banastre Tarleton and I'm quite pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Yes, I'm Mrs Selton," she said, accepting his hand briefly. "And these gentlemen are Colonel Tavington and Captain Bordon."

"Colonel Tarleton and I have met," Tavington said as he looked around the large room appraisingly.

"Tavington, good to see you again," Tarleton said, "I haven't seen you since Philadelphia . How have you been?"

"Fine, once I got off that damnable ship," he growled.

"Rough sailing?" Tarleton asked, with the barest hint of a smirk on his face.

"You could say that," Tavington replied. "I spent most of the voyage on deck, leaning over the rail."

Tarleton chuckled knowingly. "What a coincidence. I spent my voyage down the coast in much the same condition."

"Good thing neither of us joined the Navy, then," Tavington said with a wry grin.

"Quite."

Gesturing to Bordon, Tavington said, "This is my second in command, Captain James Bordon. He was just assigned to me this morning."

Extending his hand for the taller, ginger-haired man to shake, Tarleton said, "Good to meet you, Bordon. You'll have a full time job just keeping Tavington out of trouble."

The three men chuckled heartily at this.

"I'm glad to meet you, Colonel," Bordon said. "I've heard of how you captured General Lee in New Jersey."

"Ah, that was just a good bit of luck," he said. Turning back to Tavington, he said, "I've requested Georgie Hanger as my second in command. His ship is still making its way down the coast, but I'd imagine he'll be here within the week."

Tavington rolled his eyes, suppressing his urge to shudder. He'd heard of the odd exploits of the eccentric George Hanger and was glad he'd be riding with Tarleton, rather than him.

"Don't give me that look, Tav," Tarleton said, chuckling. "Georgie's a good officer and he and I get on well."

"As long as you're happy with him," Tavington said noncommittally.

Moving to stand behind her desk, Charlotte cleared her throat pointedly. "Gentleman, as to your accommodations, shall we proceed?"

"Yes, of course," Tavington said, turning to face her as his eyes still surveyed the library.

After a moment of thought, she said, "Captain Bordon will take the smaller bedroom on the west side of the house, I think."

"Colonel Tavington and Colonel Tarleton will each have private rooms on the east side of the house," she continued after a moment's thought. She looked up to see Matthew waiting in the doorway.

"Matthew, would you please show these gentlemen to their rooms?"

"At once, Madame."

"Might I have a word with you, Mrs Selton?" Tavington asked as the other men followed the butler out into the hall.

"Of course," she said. Looking at Matthew, who had paused to wait, she said, "Go ahead. I will show Colonel Tavington to his room myself after our conversation."

Matthew nodded, then left the room.

"How can I help you, Colonel Tavington?" Charlotte asked, once the servant had left the room.

"I will require an office during my stay in Charles Town," he told her. "I couldn't help but notice that this library would be quite suitable for my needs."

Striding around the spacious room confidently, he continued, "I will be involved in recruiting new dragoons and, later on, training them. This room will be perfect for conducting interviews." He moved to stand behind the large desk, which was situated between two sets of balcony doors, with a fireplace directly behind it. As he seated himself behind the desk, he looked around once more in satisfaction. "Yes, this will do very nicely, indeed."

"Why are you bothering to inform me of this?" Charlotte asked. It unnerved her to see Tavington seated at the desk where her late husband worked, as if he belonged there. "Surely you will use this room as you see fit, regardless of my wishes."

"I realize that this is an awkward situation for you," Tavington said, attempting to keep the exasperation out of his voice. "But I see no reason why we cannot have a cordial relationship while I am here. I was informing you of my plans so that you could accordingly notify your staff of the new arrangements." He opened one of the balcony doors and stood looking out at the city. "Magnificent view," he said. "I think I'm going to enjoy working here."

Charlotte acknowledged him with a slight nod, but did not otherwise reply.

"Now, if you could be so kind as to show me to my room," Tavington said as he shut the balcony door. "It's been a tedious day so far and I would like to get settled."

"Of course, Colonel," she said. "Come this way, please."

As they left the library, they met Isaiah and Stephen carrying Mrs Powell down the hall on a litter. Ruth followed close behind, carrying some of the old woman's belongings.

"Ah, there you are," Charlotte called out. "Please put Mrs Powell in the end bedroom on the left."

"Right away, Missus," Stephen said.

Turning to Ruth, she said, "Please get Mrs Powell settled and I'll be along in a few minutes to check on her."

"Yes, ma'am."

Charlotte turned to find Tavington regarding her with one raised eyebrow.

"I wasn't aware you were running a hospital here," he said. "This is highly irregular."

"Mrs Powell is my neighbour," Charlotte explained, keeping her voice carefully neutral. "She is very sick and has no family to care for her. I thought it would be easier for me to do so if I moved her down here." Staring up at the dragoon commander defiantly, she added, "I would think you would be pleased that there is now a completely empty home in which to house British officers."

Tavington rolled his eyes at her tart reply, but did not otherwise rise to the bait.

"As long as her presence does not disrupt my duties, I don't see a problem with it," he said dismissively.

Charlotte turned away from him, pressing her lips together tightly. After a moment, she said, "Your room will be at the opposite end of the hall from Mrs Powell, so her care should not be a bother to you."

"Excellent," he said, the matter already out of his mind as he followed her down the corridor.

A moment later, Charlotte opened a door and led Tavington into a large, spacious bedroom.

"I trust this will be suitable for your needs?"

Looking around at the tastefully decorated room, he replied. "Yes, thank you. It's more than adequate." He moved to sit on the edge of the bed, testing the firmness of the mattress.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I must see to my patient," she said, suddenly flustered. "Dinner is at six." Without giving Tavington a chance to reply, she stepped through the door, closing it firmly behind her.

* * *

After a long day of setting up his office and headquarters, Tavington decided to go to bed early. He'd been up most of the night before and was exhausted.

Clad only in breeches and boots, his hair unbound, he sat on the edge of the bed to remove the boots. As he bent to begin the task, a knock came at the door. "Come in!" he said as he rose from the bed, boots still on.

The door opened to admit a buxom young woman carrying a stack of bed linens and towels. Bustling into the room with no further ado, she crossed the room and placed the linens on a small table near the bed.

Turning back to face Tavington, she said, "I'm Molly, the upstairs maid. Please call on me if you need anything." Running her finger slowly over the bedspread, she looked up boldly at Tavington with eyes as blue as his own. "Anything at all."

Tavington reacted instinctively, as he'd not had a woman since leaving the northern colonies.

"Anything, you say?" he murmured as he took her into his arm and kissed her deeply. As he felt her arms go around him, he eased her back onto the bed. "I don't think I can pass up an offer such as that."

"Please don't say anything about this to Mistress Selton," she said as her hands worked deftly to unfasten his breeches. "She'd punish me if she knew I was being so forward."

"I wouldn't dream of telling her," Tavington assured her, as he threw up her petticoats.

After tugging down his unbuttoned breeches, he worked a finger inside of her briefly to ensure she was ready to receive him. A few moments later, once he was satisfied that she was ready, he pushed into her with no further ado. After a few minutes of rutting into her vigorously, he came with a satisfied grunt.

Almost immediately, he rolled off her. Taking her hand, he pulled her up and helped her to rearrange her skirts.

"Off you go, then," he said, patting her on the rump. He then resumed preparing for sleep, first pulling his boots off, then the breeches which had pooled around his ankles.

After a moment, he looked up to see the maid still standing there, pouting.

"Are you still here?" Tavington asked, a note of irritation creeping into his voice. "What _is_ it?"

"Did I not please you, sir?" she asked.

"Yes, yes, very much so," he said as he stood and walked to the door, unselfconsciously naked. "But I have a busy day planned tomorrow and I must get to sleep." He opened the door and beckoned her out. "Now, if you'll excuse me…"

After the young woman had left Tavington went to bed and fell asleep within minutes.

------

Next Chapter: Tavington and Tarleton


	3. Tavington and Tarleton

Tavington rose early the next morning and, after washing and dressing, headed directly to the library to begin his first complete day in his new office.

"Good morning, sir." Matthew said as he met Tavington entering the library. "Breakfast will be served in ten minutes in the dining room."

"I will take my breakfast in here, if you please," Tavington replied briefly.

"Very good, sir," Matthew said, hurrying off. Meeting Colonel Tarleton at the door, he asked, "Will the Colonel also be taking breakfast in here?"

"Yes, I believe I will," Tarleton said, striding across the room to join Tavington who had already seated himself behind the desk.

After the butler had left, Ban Tarleton pulled up a chair to the side of the desk. "What's on your agenda today, Tav?" he asked, leaning back in the chair as he stretched his legs out in front of him.

"The first thing I need to do is recruit new dragoons," Tavington replied briskly. "I'll be interviewing candidates over the next few weeks or so and it will be easier to do so from here, rather than from headquarters."

Looking around at the sumptuously appointed library in appreciation, he continued, "This will be much more suitable than the cubbyhole that O'Hara would have no doubt assigned to me if I'd requisitioned an office at headquarters."

"Quite true," Tarleton agreed. "I get the feeling that General O'Hara doesn't really much care for you."

"I don't think very much of him, either, to tell you the truth," Tavington retorted. "He's a pompous arse who greatly overestimates his own abilities and importance."

"Too right you are," Tarleton agreed, chuckling. "I don't know how Cornwallis can stand to be around him.""

"When Bordon has finished breakfast, I'll send him to headquarters to scout for suitable dragoon candidates," Tavington said. "He will bring any he deems likely back here for me to interview. I'll have him do that each morning until I've filled all the vacancies in the unit, plus secured several reserves."

"As soon as my troops are fully provisioned, we are to head toward the upcountry, to begin flushing out the most troublesome militia groups," Tarleton said, as the butler returned with a wheeled cart bearing their breakfast. "I estimate we'll be leaving as soon as George Hanger arrives, which should be at the end of the week, I'd imagine."

"I expect I'll have to remain here at least a month, if not more, before going out into the field," Tavington estimated. "I'll have Bordon to train the new recruits, once we have enough to start a class, which will take some time. Cornwallis didn't see fit to give me any experienced men, save Bordon, to form an effective fighting force."

"To give the old boy some credit, he didn't really expect to need two Legions down here," Tarleton pointed out. "It's seems he was rather misinformed as to the level of resistance in the South."

"I suppose you're right," Tavington said reluctantly. "As much as it pains me to admit it."

"Look at it this way, Tav," Tarleton said earnestly. "At least you'll have the advantage of getting men who know the area, even if they lack fighting experience."

"That's true," Tavington conceded. "I'm hoping that will make up for lack of experience in other areas."

As the butler finished serving the two colonels and was wheeling the cart out of the room, he called out to a passing maid. "Molly, wait a moment."

The young Irish woman paused in the doorway, looking over the butler's shoulder to observe the two colonels with frank appreciation.

"You need to go help Cook in the kitchen," Matthew said, oblivious to the maid's wandering attention.

After giving the dragoons one final, longing gaze, she slowly headed to do the butler's bidding.

"A fine little piece, that one," Tavington said, after he'd noticed Tarleton staring at her swaying bottom as she left the room. "I had her last night before going to bed."

Tarleton chuckled knowingly. "Ah, you do move quickly, Tavington," he said. "But I had her this morning, so perhaps you didn't do the job properly."

"Or perhaps you were just sloppy seconds," Tavington shot back.

"Or maybe the wench is just insatiable," Tarleton speculated. "That would be my wager."

"No doubt," Tavington agreed as he took a sip of tea.

"You must agree that it was a fine welcome to South Carolina," the younger man said. "I wonder if she'll be knocking on Bordon's door next? Do you think he's up to the task?"

"My guess would be no," Tavington said, smirking. "I imagine that she'll be sorely disappointed if she tries to seduce Bordon. That man is so pious that I doubt he'd know what to do with her."

"Ah, you'd be surprised what some of those pious ones do once behind closed doors. Bordon might surprise you," Tarleton said. "But it's no matter. If he doesn't take advantage of her generosity, then that's only more for you and I to enjoy."

"Quite." Tavington grinned tightly at the thought of taking the eager young woman to his bed once again.

After a pause, Tarleton added, "That is, at least until George Hanger gets here. One time with him would no doubt send that poor girl running off into the night in terror."

"That bad?" Tavington asked with one eyebrow raised. "Does he treat his lovers roughly?"

"Let's just say he has some rather…peculiar…habits and leave it at that," Tarleton replied, not elaborating further.. "You really don't want to know the details, I can assure you."

"I've heard he's rather eccentric," Tavington ventured. "I once was told that he keeps a monkey and takes it everywhere he goes."

"That story is true," Tarleton confirmed. And a nasty, smelly beast that ape is, too." After glancing up at the mantel clock, he said, "Well, I'm afraid I must be off. I've got to look over a new group of horses this morning."

As he stood to leave, Captain Bordon rushed into the room, hastily tucking his shirt into his breeches.

"S-sorry I'm late, sir," Bordon said, obviously flustered. "I was unavoidably detained."

"Detained, you say?" Tarleton said with a wide grin as he glanced back at Tavington. "It's too bad we didn't make a bet, Tavington. It would have been the easiest money I'd ever won."

"A bet, sir?" Bordon was baffled. He had no idea what the two Colonels were talking about.

"Never mind that, Bordon," Tavington said in irritation. "You need to go to headquarters first thing and go through the recruitment lists for any possible dragoon candidates."

"Yes, sir," Bordon replied briskly.

"Set up interviews at fifteen minute intervals, starting this afternoon," Tavington continued. "I would like to have at least twenty candidates interviewed by the end of the week."

"Right away, sir," Bordon said, turning to leave.

"Let me walk out with you," Tarleton said, still smirking, as he followed the taller man to the door. "I'd like to hear more about what 'detained' you this morning."

Tavington rolled his eyes as he watched the two men leave, deep in conversation. The dragoon commander left a short time later for the stables, after retrieving his bear fur crested helmet from his bedroom. He intended to exercise his horse for about an hour before settling down to work.

------

A/N: George Hanger is from actual history and he was indeed an eccentric man who kept a monkey. He and Ban Tarleton remained friends after they returned to England after the war.

**Next Chapter: **_Tavington and Charlotte Get Better Acquainted_


	4. Tavington and Charlotte Get Acquainted

Early the next morning, Charlotte rose wearily from the straight-backed chair she'd been sitting in all night and stretched as Ruth entered Mrs Powell's sickroom to relieve her.

"Mrs Powell had another bad night," she advised the servant in a low voice. "She has been in too much pain to do more than doze for a few minutes at a time." Pointing to a bottle on the night table, she continued, "I've given her some of the laudanum that the doctor left, but it hasn't done much to relieve her pain. The doctor said not to give her any more than a spoonful every hour or so, but I've given it more often when the pain has gotten worse."

She stood in the doorway, hesitating, unwilling to leave her patient despite her bone-numbing fatigue.

"Go on, Charlotte, and get some rest," Mrs Powell said in a weak voice. "I'll be fine with Ruth."

"Are you sure?" she asked, still hesitant to leave.

"Positive," the old woman replied.

"I'll be back to check on you in a few hours," the younger woman promised the ailing elderly woman. "Send one of the servants immediately if you need anything."

"I will," the older woman said. "Now, go get some sleep."

After a moment, Charlotte left, quietly closing the door behind her, then wearily walked down the hall, with the early morning sunlight streaming in from the window at the far end.

Charlotte noticed the door to the library standing open as she slowly continued on her way to her bedroom. Curious, she looked in and found Colonel Tavington seated behind John's desk drinking tea.

"Ah, Mrs Selton," Tavington called out as he noticed her standing in the doorway. "Please join me for a cup of tea."

"Yes, thank you, I think I will," Charlotte said, moving to take the chair most recently occupied by Banastre Tarleton.

Normally, her first instinct would have been to decline the British officer's invitation, but now, her weariness overrode her caution. Sinking gingerly into the chair, she gratefully took the cup that Tavington offered her.

"Did you not sleep well, Mrs Selton," Tavington asked, noting the dark circles under her eyes.

"I did not sleep at all," she informed him. "I was up all night caring for Mrs. Powell. I'm afraid she had rather a restless night."

"Why do you not have a servant care for her?" Tavington asked, puzzled. "You surely have enough to spare for this task."

"Mrs Powell was so good to me when John died," Charlotte explained. "I don't know what I would have done without her then. I feel as if I owe her to at least care for her myself."

"That woman is lucky to have you," Tavington declared, gazing at her with admiration. "It is too bad that there wasn't anyone like you around when my poor mother was on her deathbed."

Tavington quickly changed the subject when he noticed Charlotte looking at him with sympathetic eyes. He had not intended to reveal such personal, private information to a near stranger.

"What do you plan to do today?" he asked, changing the subject after a moment of awkward silence. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Well, I'm hoping to get a few hours of rest before the doctor comes to check on Mrs Powell late this afternoon," she said slowly.

"I will be conducting interviews with new recruits this afternoon," he told her. "I shouldn't disturb your rest this morning, as I've planned to catch up on some paperwork." Looking at her intently, he added, "Would you care to share the noon meal with me?"

After a moment's hesitation, she agreed. "I'd be glad to, Colonel." After days of caring for the elderly woman without respite, having lunch with a handsome man would be a welcome diversion.

"Good!" he said with a hint of a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I look forward to it."

Charlotte set her teacup down, then slowly stood. "If I'm not to fall asleep at the dinner table, I'll have to take my nap now." Pausing at the door, she turned back. "Until then, Colonel."

* * *

Four and a half hours later, Charlotte was surprised to find lunch already on the table when she entered the dining room shortly before noon. Tavington sat alone at the head of the table as she came through the door.

"I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of instructing your cook on what to serve," Tavington said, rising as she approached the table. "I wanted to give you as much time to sleep as possible."

"Thank you," she said, as he pulled out the chair nearest him for her. "That was very nice of you." Noticing that she and Tavington were alone in the room, she asked, "Where are Colonel Tarleton and your junior officer?"

"Their duties have detained them at headquarters," Tavington said offhandedly. In reality, he'd ordered Bordon to stay away from the Selton home until that afternoon.

"Well," Charlotte said with an uncertain smile as she picked up her fork. "Shall we begin?"

"Of course," Tavington said, with the hint of a smile at her obvious nervousness.

They ate in silence for several long, awkward moments. Finally, Tavington looked up and abruptly asked, "How long have you been widowed, Mrs Selton?"

"Four years."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said, saying the expected thing. "If I might be so bold to ask, what happened to your husband?"

"He died in a fishing accident," she replied briefly. "The boat capsized and he couldn't swim."

"I'm very sorry," Tavington said again. Looking around the elegant dining room, he continued, "Your husband must have been a successful man, as this is quite an exquisite home."

"Yes, he was," Charlotte said. "We also had a plantation on the Santee where we spent the summer months."

"Do you still have it?"

"Oh, yes, " she said. "I would never sell it, as it provides me with a continuing income."

"I take it your father or, perhaps, one of your brothers is running it for you?" Tavington asked.

"My father passed away years ago, and I have no brothers," she said. "I've been seeing to that, and the rest of my late husband's affairs myself. I was lucky that my father believed in education for women. He tutored me himself on the finer points of management and running a business."

An extraordinary man," Tavington said. Raising his glass in salute, he continued, "And a most extraordinary woman."

"I merely do what is necessary," Charlotte said, flushed. After an awkward pause, she said, "What about you, Colonel? Is there a wife and children at home eagerly awaiting your return?"

"I'm afraid not," Tavington replied. "My army career has kept me busy in the last few years and before that I was at university studying law."

"How long have you been in the army?"

"It's been several years now," he said. "After my father died, I could no longer attend university, so my mother took what little money we had to spare and bought me a commission as a cornet." After taking a bite of food, he continued, "And that is the only commission that was necessary to purchase. I've advanced to my present rank of Lieutenant Colonel strictly by merit alone."

"Your mother must have been very proud of you," Charlotte said.

"Regrettably, she passed away not long after I left for the army," he said. "She didn't live long enough to see my rise through the ranks."

"I'm very sorry," she said quietly.

"So," he said, wanting to change the subject. "You have neither husband nor children. Do you have any family at all?"

"My sister had seven children," Charlotte said. "They live not too far from my plantation, but I haven't seen them much since she passed on not long after my husband did. My brother in law is a farmer and doesn't have much time to bring them to Charles Town to visit."

"Such a brave lady," Tavington said, taking her hand. "Who should not have to carry on alone."

Before Charlotte could reply, Matthew entered the room.

"Yes, Matthew, what is it?" she asked.

"Begging your pardon, Miss Charlotte, but the doctor has arrived to see Mrs Powell."

"Send him up to see her and tell him I'll speak with him shortly."

"Yes ma'am," the servant said, turning to carry out her request.

Tavington folded his napkin and placed it on his plate. "I'm afraid I must be getting along as well, Mrs Selton," he said. "Captain Bordon should be bringing the first recruits around shortly for me to interview."

"I enjoyed our meal together," she said with an uncharacteristic blush.

"As did I," he agreed. "Perhaps we should make a point of lunching together every day, our schedules permitting, of course."

"I'd like that," she said.

"Until tomorrow then."

-----

Next Chapter: First Date


	5. First Date

Nearly two weeks later, Tavington had yet to find enough suitable dragoon candidates. In that time, he'd found fewer than a dozen men whom he'd deemed acceptable. The group he'd interviewed this morning had been the worst of the lot; none having the faintest clue about cavalry warfare. Because George Hanger had arrived the night before, Banastre Tarleton, had left Charles Town that morning along with his Legion, taking the best of the new recruits.

After sending the last interviewee back to headquarters with the recommendation that he be placed in an infantry unit, Tavington told Bordon to stay behind.

"Bordon, what is the problem?" Tavington asked Bordon after he'd sat down. "You've not sent me an even remotely acceptable candidate in three days."

"I'm sorry, sir," Bordon said. "But you should see the ones I've rejected!"

"That bad, hmm?" Tavington asked.

"Most of them aren't even fit to clean up after horses, let alone ride them," the junior officer said scornfully.

Both men chuckled heartily at the thought of this.

Now serious once more, Bordon continued, "But there is a problem. Nearly every time I find a promising candidate, General O'Hara steps in and takes him for the infantry."

"Pompous bastard," Tavington muttered. "Any idiot can be a good infantryman, but not just anyone can make an effective dragoon."

"I agree."

"O'Hara should be satisfied with the feeble minded farmers and let me have the good horsemen." After heaving a loud sigh, he said, "Just do the best you can, Bordon, and try to slip as many as you can past O'Hara."

"I'll do my best," Bordon replied, sighing heavily.

At that moment both men looked up to see Charlotte Selton standing in the doorway to the library.

"Excuse me for interrupting, gentlemen, but have either of you seen my maid, Molly, this morning?" she asked. "I told her to clean Colonel Tarleton's room after they left this morning, but the room is still a mess and I haven't seen her anywhere."

Tavington gave Bordon a knowing look, then cleared his throat. "She left with Colonel Tarleton this morning to join his baggage train," Tavington finally said. "I thought you would have known about it."

"No, I didn't," she replied. "She didn't say a word to me." Walking over and pouring herself a cup of tea from the pot on Tavington's desk, she continued, "She'd been in my employ for several years, starting out as an indentured servant. I let her out of her indenture two years early and then allowed her to stay on as a paid servant, and this is the gratitude she shows me!"

"Surely, you can find another servant?" Tavington asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but it will take awhile to train a new maid," she said, "And with Mrs Powell sick, I don't have the time for that."

"It's nearly noontime," Tavington said, looking up at the clock. "Why don't we get Cook to pack us a picnic lunch and get out of here for a few hours. I think we both could use a break."

"Yes," she said, smiling. "I accept.:

"Excellent," Tavington said, returning her smile.

"Let me check on Mrs Powell before we go," she said.

"Of course."

Twenty minutes later, Charlotte and Tavington slipped out by the back terrace gate with a fully loaded picnic basket.

"Are you sure you can take the afternoon away from your duties, Colonel?" Charlotte asked as they walked slowly down the street.

"Bordon can handle it for one afternoon, Mrs Selton," he said. "It's not as if he had anyone worth my time to interview waiting for me."

"Please call me Charlotte," she said, after taking a deep breath. "I think that after two weeks of getting acquainted over our meals that we needn't be so formal any longer."

"I quite agree...Charlotte," he said, smiling. "And you must call me William." Hefting the large picnic basket from one hand to the other, he asked, "Your cook must have put enough food in here to feed all my dragoons."

Charlotte laughed merrily, her cares forgotten for the moment. "Not nearly that much, but enough for a feast for you and I."

Lifting the lid, he peered inside. "Hmm, what do we have in here?"

"There's a chicken she'd planned to serve us this evening, plus some bread, cheese, and a bit of fruit," she said. "And a couple of bottles of wine. Also, a linen sheet to spread on the ground to sit on."

"Sounds delicious," he said. "Where would you like to eat?"

"There's a small park with a beautiful flower garden down near the harbour," she said. "It's not far from here."

"Do you hear that?" Charlotte asked, nearly twenty minutes later as they approached the entrance to the park.

"What?" Tavington asked, listening.

"Music," she said, pointing into the park.

Following the sound, the couple came upon a small chamber group a few moments later. The musicians were set up in a small clearing, near a carefully tended flower garden.

"Why don't we sit here to eat?" she suggested.

"All right," Tavington said as he spread the linen down on the grass for Charlotte to sit on.

Charlotte sat down and began unloading the basket as soon as Tavington had put it down between them.

"I must compliment the cook," Tavington said a short time later. "The food is quite enjoyable." Looking into Charlotte 's eyes, he took her hand. "But not nearly an enjoyable as the company."

Charlotte did not immediately reply, but looked away, her face crimson. "The pleasure is all mine." After an awkward moment, she said, "The music is delightful. Handel, if I'm not mistaken."

"I really could not say," Tavington said. "My musical knowledge is rather limited, I'm afraid."

"Handel was my sister's favourite composer," Charlotte said. "But I'm afraid I don't know enough about him myself to identify this particular piece."

"No matter," Tavington said smoothly. "We don't need to know the name of it to enjoy it."

For the next few minutes, they sat in companionable silence as they ate and listened to the music.

"Shall we walk awhile along the harbour?" he asked after they had finished eating. "We've got a little while before we need to go back."

"I'd like that," she said as she finished packing up the picnic basket.

A few moments later, they were strolling along a path in the park that overlooked the harbour. A wrought iron picket fence paralleled the path on the harbour side.

"Such beautiful ships," Charlotte said, sighing, as she stopped to get a closer look at a ship just arriving. "They look as if they could almost fly away."

"Looks can be deceiving," Tavington said. "In reality, most ships are cramped and malodorous." With a rueful smile, he continued, "I'm afraid I'm not a very good sailor."

"Just as well you're a soldier, then" Charlotte said, returning his smile."

"Quite." Leaning against the fence, Tavington asked, "Have you never been to sea, Charlotte ?"

"Never," she replied. "My father used to travel to England on business occasionally, but he always went alone. Mother was never in good health, you see."

"I see." Still smiling, he said, "You haven't missed much, I can assure you. But it's too bad you've never been to England. It's a beautiful place."

"I would like to see England," she said sincerely. "Perhaps I will one day, when this war is finally behind us."

Heat lightning flashed in the distance as the couple continued to survey the ships in the harbour. Tavington looked up at the sky, which had turned an ominous, leaden shade. Charcoal coloured thunderheads were gathering even as he surveyed the horizon.

"It's going to rain, I'm afraid," Tavington said, as a low rumble of distant thunder sounded as if to emphasize his words. "We'd best head back."

Charlotte nodded reluctantly in agreement. "I've had a wonderful afternoon."

"As have I," Tavington replied as they headed to the park's exit.

As the couple walked quickly through the streets back to Charlotte 's home, the thunder grew louder and the lightning more frequent.

"I don't think we're going to make it," Charlotte said when they were still about a block from the house. Large, swollen drops of rain had begun plopping down as they stepped up their pace. Within seconds, it had quickly turned into a downpour.

At that moment, they were passing by an open gate at the back of an estate. Looking inside, Tavington spotted a tool shed not far from the entrance. "Hurry!," he said pulling her inside the gate. "We can take shelter in there until the rain stops. It shouldn't be more than a quick downpour."

--------

Thanks to those who have thus far read and reviewed. I hope you'll stick with me for the rest of this story

Next chapter: New Love and Old Friends


	6. New Love and Old Friends

By the time they'd reached the safety of the shed, both Charlotte and Tavington were thoroughly drenched. After securing the door, he turned to Charlotte and reached up to brush aside a tendril of hair that had plastered itself to her cheek, between rivulets of water running down her face.

"Ugh, my hair is ruined," Charlotte said as Tavington's hand stroked her cheek.

"A little rain cannot mar your beauty," Tavington murmured, gazing down at her with desire.

Charlotte did not reply, but looked into Tavington's intense blue eyes as he took her into his arms. After a long, lingering moment, he bent and claimed her lips with his own. Charlotte acquiesced eagerly, parting her lips to admit his questing tongue.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that," he murmured a few moments later as he leaned his forehead against hers.

"You don't know how long I've wanted you to," she replied, blushing furiously. Reaching up, she returned his kiss as she wrapped her arms around him, drawing him closer.

The rain continued to patter the roof of the small shed as the couple's kisses grew more passionate and urgent. As his hand lazily rubbed Charlotte 's back, Tavington noticed a wooden bench in the corner of the shed, next to a shelf filled with gardening tools. Guiding Charlotte to it, he sat down, pulling her down onto his lap.

Reaching up, Charlotte stroked his face as his hand moved to lightly squeeze her breast. Not encountering any resistance, Tavington began loosening her bodice. As Charlotte leaned forward to give him better access, she felt the evidence of his arousal pressing against her bottom.

"Hurry, William," she breathed, not quite able to believe her own boldness. It had been so long since she'd felt desire, and now, even just one look from Tavington's piercing eyes inflamed her need to an almost painful level.

Soon, she felt Tavington's mouth on her bared breast, as his hand reached under her petticoats, slowly hiking them up to her waist. Her hands worked under his jacket, eager to feel his chest. So urgent was their need for one another that neither noticed that the rain had stopped. Just as Tavington's hand had reached the triangle of golden curls between her legs, and he was about to throw her petticoats up completely, the shed's door opened with a loud squeal.

The spell broken, Tavington turned to see a slave enter the shed. He turned his body to shield Charlotte from the man's view as she hastily refastened her bodice and pulled her petticoats back down.

The slave backed out quickly, holding his hand in front of his eyes in embarrassment. "'Scuse me, sir," the slave said, stammering. "I'm the gardener. I didn't know y'all were in here."

"We just stepped in here to get out of the rain," Tavington said briefly, as he and Charlotte left the shed a moment later. "We'll be going now."

"Well, that was embarrassing," Charlotte murmured, her face crimson, as they continued down the street to her house.

"It was rather uncomfortable," Tavington agreed. "But I don't think he saw much of anything as fast as he backed out of there."

"I certainly hope not," she said breathlessly.

"I hope you'll forgive me for my boldness, but I could not resist your beauty," Tavington said.

"No apology necessary, Colonel," she replied briskly. "I hope you don't think of me as a shameless wanton."

"Not at all," he assured her, squeezing her hand to emphasize his point. "There will be other times when we can resume getting better acquainted."

The two fell silent as they stepped through the gates at Charlotte's house. Bordon was waiting for Tavington when they entered the house.

"Sir!" Bordon greeted his commanding officer.

"Yes, Bordon, what is it?" Tavington inquired.

"I have a recruit waiting to be interviewed," he reported. "And I believe this one will be quite suitable to be an officer."

"Oh?" Tavington responded, as he headed to the library. "I certainly hope you are correct."

Charlotte remained silent, but followed the dragoons up the stairs, intending to check on Mrs Powell.

As they reached the second floor and walked down toward the library, Tavington spotted an extremely tall man sitting on a settee outside the library waiting for his interview.

"This is James Wilkins," Bordon told Tavington, indicating the tall man. Turning to Wilkins, he add, "And this is Colonel Tavington."

Rising to greet the dragoon commander, he extended his hand to shake. "I'm pleased to meet you sir."

Before Tavington could reply, Charlotte came out from behind the two dragoons to get a look at James Wilkins.

"Jim Wilkins!" she said, smiling broadly. "I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Charlotte," he said amiably, returning her smile. "What a pleasant surprise. I don't think I've seen you since John's funeral. You're looking quite well."

"I can say the same," she said warmly.

"You two know one another?" Tavington asked, now looking appraisingly at the tall man.

"Oh, yes," Charlotte replied. "Our families have known one another for years. James and I grew up together."

Remembering that Wilkins was there to join the Green Dragoons and that she needed to check on Mrs Powell, she said, "Won't you stay for tea after your meeting with the Colonel?"

"I'd be delighted," Wilkins replied. "We have a lot to catch up on."

"Wonderful," she said. "If you'll excuse me, I have a few things to attend to, so I'll leave you gentlemen to your meeting."

"I'll see you soon, then," Wilkins said as he followed Bordon into the library.

As Tavington moved to follow Wilkins and Bordon, he turned and gave Charlotte a meaningful glance. Charlotte returned his smile, thinking of the afternoon they'd just spent together, pleased by the new turn of events in their relationship. For the first time since the British had taken over Charles Town, she was glad she had remained behind.

_________

"Tell me about yourself, Mr Wilkins," Tavington said a few moments later, leaning back in his chair as he waited for the other man to answer. "Why do you want to join the Green Dragoons?"

"I was born and raised in this area," Wilkins began. "My family has a large rice plantation and my father sent me to England to get my education at Oxford so that I could properly manage our family's varied business concerns when he is ready to retire."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "My family is firmly loyal to the king and I believe I can best serve my king and country as a cavalryman, as I'm an excellent equestrian and swordsman. I know nearly everyone who is important in South Carolina and I'm certain I can be of use in both helping to find more loyal Americans to help fight the rebels and to identify those with rebel leanings. I am also unmarried, so I would be able to devote all my attention to my duties."

Turning to Bordon, who had been standing silently behind him during the interview, Tavington asked, "Captain Bordon, do you have anything to add?"

"I tested Mr Wilkins and I found that his horsemanship and proficiency with sabre, pistol, and musket are all well above average; the best I've seen so far." Leaning down to speak softly into Tavington's ear, he added, "I would recommend appointing him as an officer."

Tavington was already leaning toward accepting Wilkins into his command, but Bordon's recommendation confirmed his initial inclinations. His connection to Charlotte Selton was also a plus.

Returning his attention to Wilkins, Tavington said, "I'm pleased to welcome you to the Green Dragoons, Mr Wilkins. Because of your skills and connections, I'm authorizing you as a Captain, which will make you third in command after myself and Captain Bordon. You will also be the highest ranking Loyalist member of the unit."

"Thank you, sir," Wilkins said, obviously pleased. "I am honoured to be under your command."

"Your first duties will be to help Captain Bordon in finding more suitable dragoon recruits," Tavington informed him. "Captain Bordon will assist you this afternoon in acquiring uniforms and other necessary equipment. I can safely assume you have your own horse?"

"Yes, sir," Wilkins affirmed.

"Excellent," Tavington said. "Report here first thing tomorrow morning to begin your duties with Captain Bordon."

"Yes, sir," Wilkins replied.

"I believe that Mrs Selton is awaiting your company, so that will be all for now," Tavington said.

-------

Next chapter: From Comfort to Passion


	7. From Comfort to Passion

Over the next three weeks, Charlotte and Tavington had few opportunities to be alone together, and never for more than a few minutes at a time. James Wilkins came by every day to assist Bordon in recruiting efforts, which now proceeded smoothly, thanks to Wilkins' connections., Tavington's time was increasingly spent in readying his unit for deployment in the field. At the same time, Mrs Powell's health declined rapidly with Charlotte rarely leaving her bedside.

"Missus! Wake up! It's Missus Powell; I think she's passing!"

"Hmm, wha--?" Charlotte jolted awake as Ruth jostled her shoulder. She'd not left the sick room in over twelve hours, other than to relieve herself and to change into her nightclothes a few hours earlier, and she'd eventually nodded off in the chair. After a moment of clearing the fuzziness from her mind, the servant's words finally registered.

Jumping up from the chair, she nearly knocked it over in her rush to reach Mrs Powell. The elderly woman was struggling to take raspy breaths that came at widely spaced intervals. Finally, the breaths stopped altogether, as Charlotte held her hand.

"She's gone," Charlotte said, exhaling loudly. "It's over."

"I'm sorry, Missus," Ruth said, not knowing what else to say.

"Go get Bessie and have her help you prepare her body for burial," Charlotte said wearily, as she laid the old woman's hand gently back on the coverlet. Running a hand through her unbound hair, she continued, "I'm going to go to bed."

"Yes ma'am," the servant said. "We'll take care of it."

Without another word, Charlotte left the sickroom, her duty done. As she made her way down the hall to her bedchamber, she saw that the library was still lit. Venturing inside, she saw William Tavington hunched over the desk, absorbed in paperwork.

"Charlotte ," he said, looking up from his work. "You're up rather late. Is everything all right?"

"Mrs Powell just died."

"I'm so sorry," he said. "I know she meant a lot to you."

"She was almost like a mother to me," Charlotte said, a single tear appearing at the corner of one eye. More tears appeared and she soon was weeping softly.

"Join me for a drink," he said, holding up a snifter of brandy as he rose from the chair. Tavington quickly poured another glass for Charlotte , then moved to the couch.

"Thank you," she said as she seated herself beside him. "I think I could use one right now."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Tavington asked gently. "Surely you should not have to handle this alone."

"There's nothing, I'm afraid," she said, close to tears again. "The servants are already taking care of her body."

"What about the funeral?" he asked, after taking a long swallow of his drink.

"I haven't really thought that far ahead yet," she admitted.

"I can send Bordon to her church to advise the minister," he said. "Or, if you like, the Legion's chaplain can conduct the service; whichever you prefer."

"I...don't know," she said "She hadn't been to church in quite some time and the church she used to attend has a new minister." Her voice trailed off in indecision.

"That's all right, Charlotte ," Tavington said smoothly, reaching out to take her into his arms. "You don't have to decide right now. Tomorrow will be soon enough."

Charlotte leaned eagerly into his embrace, sighing loudly as his lips claimed hers.

Tavington was gratified by the alacrity to which she responded to his kiss. Ever since their interrupted intimacy in the gardener's shack a few weeks back, he'd been unable to get her alone long enough to finish what they'd started. He wasn't about to let the opportunity pass now.

Pressing her back into the couch cushions, Tavington reclined nearly on top of her as his hand reached to open her dressing gown.

Suddenly aware of his hard length pressing against her thigh and where this was going, she murmured, "We'd best move to my bedroom. The servants are still about tending to Mrs Powell's body."

"Yes, of course," he replied, as he helped her to straighten her nightclothes.

A short time later, Tavington turned to take Charlotte into his arms, after closing her bedroom door behind them.

Resting her head against his chest, she felt totally at home in the shelter of his embrace. "Alone at last," she whispered, with the faintest hint of a blush colouring her cheeks.

"Finally," he murmured, as he leaned down to claim her lips for a languid, unhurried kiss. They continued to kiss, as Tavington untied her dressing gown, then slipped it from her shoulders.

Charlotte watched with bated breath as he quickly worked the buttons to his breeches loose as they seated themselves on the side of her bed. Leaning forward boldly, she reached inside, then sighed in anticipation as she stroked his rigid manhood for the first time. It had been so long since she'd made love that she could barely contain herself to follow his lead.

Tavington released Charlotte briefly to hurriedly remove his boots, then kicked his breeches off after them. After quickly removing his shirt, he turned back to kiss her as he lifted her nightgown over her head and tossed it off the side of the bed.

"So beautiful," he said, as he beheld her nude body for the first time under the glow of soft candlelight. He reached up with one hand to caress her breasts, the nipples rising to his touch, as he eased her back on the bed, while he moved to lie beside her.

As Tavington continued to kiss her while his hands explored her body, Charlotte reached around and released his hair from its tight queue. She quickly unbraided it, running her fingers through its silky softness.

Tavington slipped one leg between hers, gently spreading them further apart. His almost painfully aroused shaft rubbed against Charlotte 's thigh as he did so, eliciting a soft whimper from her. With great discipline, he resisted the urge to immediately mount her and bury himself inside her. Instead, his hand slowly snaked up the inside of her legs, softly caressing her. He slipped one finger, then two, inside her, swirling them around. Within a short time, she moistened against his hand, indicating her readiness for him.

"William, please!" Charlotte moaned. "Now!" She felt as if she'd go mad if he wasn't inside her that very moment. Reaching out, she put one hand on his backside, urging him closer, as she stroked his manhood with the other.

Tavington was only too happy to oblige. His need was as great as hers and he knew that once his initial itch had been scratched, he would make love to her in a more leisurely fashion the second time around.

Needing no further encouragement, he positioned himself between her legs and entered her with one quick movement. Hearing her sigh of contentment to finally be penetrated, he braced his weight on his elbows and began to move within her. As he felt Charlotte begin to thrust back in unison with him, he quickened his pace, unable to hold back.

As Tavington pounded into her with weeks of frustration behind him, Charlotte brought her legs up around his waist crossing her feet together. Her nails dug into his back as he swiftly brought her to a shattering climax.

"William!" She panted raggedly as Tavington, too, reached orgasm and poured his seed into her.

Warm with perspiration from his efforts, Tavington rolled onto his back, bringing Charlotte with him to lie with her head on his chest. Kissing her, he reached up to brush a strand of hair from her face.

Neither spoke for several minutes, each basking in the afterglow as their breathing slowly returned to normal.

Snuggling closer, Charlotte murmured, "That was worth waiting for."

"Indeed," Tavington said, as he idly stroked her bottom. Taking her hand, he guided it down to his already reviving manhood.

"Already?"

"You inspire a great deal of passion, my dear," he said smoothly as he moved to mount her yet again.

This time they made love in a leisurely fashion, now that their initial desires had been satisfied. It was nearly dawn before the amorous couple finally fell asleep, still entwined, having fully indulged their passions.

* * *

"Ruth, have you seen Mistress Selton this morning?" Matthew asked when he spotted the maid carrying bed linens down the corridor. "Her dressmaker, Mrs Wilson, has arrived and has been waiting in the front sitting room for twenty minutes."

"No, I haven't," Ruth said, giving the butler a worried look. "It's not like her to sleep late, especially when she has an appointment." Shifting the bundle in her hands, she continued, "But she was up quite late last night when Mrs Powell died. Perhaps she just overslept."

"Please check on her and remind her of her appointment," Matthew urged. "I'll wait out here and hold the sheets while you do so."

As Ruth moved toward Charlotte Selton's bedroom door to obey him, Captain Bordon leaned his head out from the library door. "Have either of you seen Colonel Tavington this morning?" he asked the servants. "I have two recruits waiting to see him."

"I have not, sir," Matthew replied. "Perhaps he stepped out for a short time."

Ruth tapped lightly on Charlotte Selton's bedroom door as the men talked. Not getting a reply, she opened the door hesitantly, guessing that her employer must be in her dressing room. "Mrs Selton?" she said softly as she entered the room.

The maid drew her breath in sharply as she glanced inside the room. At the foot of the bed, she saw a hairy masculine leg laying across a smooth, feminine one, both sticking out from below the sheet. As her eyes travelled up the bed, she saw Colonel Tavington lying on his back, asleep, his long dark hair spread on the pillow. Mrs Selton slept with her head on his naked chest, her arm around his waist. A dragoon jacket was draped carelessly on a chair by the bed, with a pair of cavalry boots on the floor in front of them.

Shocked by the sight before her, Ruth quickly backed out of the room, averting her eyes in embarrassment. As she left the room, she did not notice Tavington's cold blue eyes regarding her, having been awakened by her footsteps.

"What's wrong?" Matthew asked when he saw Ruth hastily shut the door to Mrs Selton's room. "Did you not find Mrs. Selton?"

"Yes, she's in there."

"Did you not tell her that Mrs Wilson is waiting for her?"

"No," she replied carefully. "She was…ah, uh….indisposed." The young woman blushed furiously.

"What is wrong?" he demanded. "Speak plainly."

Looking nervously at Bordon who was still standing in the doorway, she turned toward the butler and said in a low voice, "She's asleep in bed…with Colonel Tavington!"

"I see." Handing her back the linens, he said, "Return to your duties."

* * *

As the door closed behind the maid, Tavington rubbed Charlotte 's back, then gently kissed her.

"Mmmm," Charlotte murmured as she slowly awakened. Looking up into her lover's eyes sleepily, she said, "What time is it?"

"It's about eight," he replied, looking over at the mantel clock. "Your maid just came in here and saw us together."

"I had a dressmaker appointment!" she suddenly remembered. "She probably came in here to remind me when I did not appear to greet Mrs Wilson."

"And I am also late for recruit interviews this morning," he said. "However, I'm sure your servant has no doubt now told Captain Bordon of my whereabouts."

"Do you regret this?" she asked in a low voice.

"Not at all," he said, kissing her again. "But I have no wish to cause you any embarrassment."

"I'm not ashamed of what we did," she said quietly. "In fact, I'd like it very much if you'd move your things in here and sleep with me from now on. It's not as if there is a point in trying to be discreet any longer."

"I'd be delighted," he said, smiling, moving to kiss her again. After sitting up and swinging his legs off the side of the bed, he continued, "But as much as I hate to leave you now, I must go see those new recruits."

"And I must make some sort of an excuse to Mrs Wilson," she said as she slipped into her robe. "I should have had someone send word to her to cancel our appointment because of Mrs Powell's death, in any instance."

"Have you given any more thought about her funeral," Tavington asked as he collected his clothing from the floor and the chair.

"I've decided to let your chaplain handle it," she said. "Mr Powell is buried at the cemetery at her old church, so we'll have her buried there next to him."

"Good," Tavington said. "I'll tell Captain Wilkins to attend to the arrangements."

"I appreciate it," she said, looking into his eyes gratefully.

"You know I am here for you," he said. Taking her into his arms, he admitted softly, "I think I'm falling in love."

"As am I," she replied, her heart filled with gladness.

------

_Thanks to my readers for your kind reviews. I appreciate it._

_Next chapter: Making a Decision_


	8. Making a Decision

Several days later, Charlotte sat by herself in the library, enjoying an afternoon cup of tea. As she slowly sipped the hot beverage, Charlotte smiled to herself as she mentally relived the last few days since she and William had first become intimate.

She'd had an awkward few minutes when she'd first emerged from her bedroom the first morning after they'd made love. The news of her spending the night with the Colonel had quickly become common knowledge among the servants by the time she sat down to breakfast. None dared speak of it to her, of course, and Charlotte was too happy to care what they might think. She'd been in mourning for her dead husband far too long; now and now felt exhilarated to finally be in love again.

In the few days Charlotte had been with Tavington, he'd made love to her without fail each evening. This morning, they'd had sex again before breakfast. She smiled to herself in private satisfaction, as she mentally replayed this particularly pleasant way to begin her day.

And he'd also been her steady rock since Mrs Powell's death, making sure the proper arrangements had been made for her funeral and burial services.

Early the previous morning, Tavington had stood at Charlotte's side, in front of the open grave that awaited the mortal remains of Mrs Powell. Several times during the short service, he'd squeezed her hand in wordless comfort.

"_Thank you for being here," she told him a few minutes after the funeral ended as they walked from the churchyard. "I don't know what I would have done without you today."_

_Tavington had smiled down at her, patting her hand. "You would have managed just fine, I'm sure," he said. "But I was happy to be of service."_

They'd planned to go riding that morning after the funeral, plans they'd made not long after she'd told William that she was an experienced horsewoman. Unfortunately, those plans had to be cancelled when a messenger from headquarters had met them just as they were leaving the stable.

"_You're needed right away at headquarters, sir!" the young man said, out of breath as he reached them._

_Turning to Charlotte , he said, "I shouldn't be gone too long."_

"_Take your time," she said, squeezing his hand. "I'll be fine. I'll have a meal waiting by the time you get back."_

"_An added incentive not to tarry at headquarters," he said, raising her hand to his mouth to kiss._

Tavington had ended up returning much sooner than he'd anticipated, as the meeting he'd been called to had been cancelled by the time he'd arrived, and they'd ended up getting their ride in, after all. Charlotte smiled, then blushed crimson as she remembered what she and William had done on the grass behind a grove of trees at the remote wooded area they'd ridden to.

"Mrs Selton?" Ruth suddenly appeared at her side, interrupting Charlotte from her daydreaming. .

"Yes, Ruth, what is it?"

"There's a grubby little boy waiting in the kitchen insisting on seeing you," the maid said. "He said he was sent with a message for you."

"Send him in here, please," Charlotte said, her curiosity piqued.

Ruth left and returned with a scrawny boy a moment later, then returned to her duties.

"How can I help you?" Charlotte asked him, regarding him with a curious expression. The boy appeared to be about ten years old and obviously a street urchin.

"Begging your pardon, Missus," he said, thrusting a dirty piece of paper at her. "I was told to give you this and to wait for your answer."

After taking the note from him and quickly scanning its contents, she said, "Go into the kitchen and tell Cook I told her to fix you a plate. Wait there and I'll have my answer ready for you to take back."

"Yes'm."

After the boy left, she spread the note out and read it again, this time more thoroughly:

_Dearest Charlotte,_

_Please forgive me not getting in contact with you sooner, as life has been quite unsettled here as of late. I have only recently been able to make the trip to your plantation, where I'd expected to find you. Needless to say, I was shocked when your servants there told me that you were still in Charles Town._

_I know that we had discussed an eventual marriage between us that would ideally occur after this war had concluded, but in light of recent events, I have changed my thoughts on the matter. I now think it would be best if we were married right away, so that I could more easily protect you in the conflicts to come._

_I am waiting on the edge of Charles Town to escort you to your plantation, as it is dangerous for me to come any further. Please come as soon as you can after receiving this note. The boy who delivered it will lead you to me._

_Please make haste, as I am eager to begin our new life together_

_Ben_

Charlotte frowned as she folded the note and slipped it into her pocket. Rising from her chair, she quickly left the room, heading upstairs to her bedchamber.

Once she'd reached the privacy of her room, Charlotte fished the note from her pocket as she went to sit at the small writing desk, which stood on the far wall in front of a window. After she'd retrieved her writing supplies from a lower drawer, she paused for a moment as she considered just how to word her reply. Within a minute, she hastily scribbled a cryptic note:

_Dear Ben,_

_Regretfully, I cannot accept your proposal at this time. Please accept my apologies. Rest assured that I am well and there is no cause for concern or alarm on your part._

_Sincerely,_

_Charlotte_

As she waited for the ink to dry, she glanced around the room, taking special note of the different articles of William's personal belongings located in various parts of the room. Turning back to her task, she folded the note and neatly secured it with sealing wax, then placed it in her pocket. She snatched up Ben's note as she rose from the desk, returning it to her other pocket. As she turned to leave, her eyes fell on William's spare uniform which had been draped over the back of an upholstered chair. Before leaving the room, she took the uniform to the wardrobe, hanging it up carefully, pausing to take in the aroma of his cologne. Smiling to herself, she left the room and returned to the kitchen.

A few moments later, she entered the kitchen where she found the messenger boy wolfing down a plate of biscuits. Motioning to the cook to fix him a bundle of food to take with him, she reached into her pocket for her reply note.

"Here is the message," she said. "Please deliver it right away." Handing him the food the cook had collected, she said, "Here's something for your trouble."

"You're to come with me, missus," the boy insisted. "The man said that was important."

"The note will explain everything," she said. "He will understand."

The boy nodded, uncertain, but left to carry out her bidding with no further ado.

"Please bring a fresh pot of tea to the dining room," she told the cook after the boy had left.

"Very good, Missus," the cook replied. "At what time shall I serve dinner?"

"Colonel Tavington should return by 5:30," she said. "I believe six sharp will do,"

"Yes, ma'am."

Charlotte fished Ben's note out of her pocket to re-read it as she sipped a fresh cup of tea. Frowning, she read the unromantic, businesslike note yet again, realization dawning on her that she would have never known happiness if she'd married him. Security and friendship, yes; but never true love or passion.

And after meeting William Tavington and experiencing ecstasy in his arms, she knew she was no longer willing to settle for what Ben Martin had to offer. After a long moment, she crumpled Ben's note into a ball and tossed it into the fireplace, watching it burn away to ashes. She'd made her decision and was glad of it.

______

Thanks to my readers and reviewers. I appreciate you taking the time to read my story.  
Next Chapter: _Questions and Preparations_


	9. Questions and Preparations

William Tavington did not speak as he accompanied Captains Bordon and Wilkins on the short ride from Charlotte's home to the new dragoon encampment. Both Bordon and Wilkins had both so far proven to be able officers, with Wilkins taking over recruiting efforts, while Bordon concentrated on training and administrative matters. Recruits were currently being trained at the encampment as they waited for deployment into the field and Tavington thought it was high time for an inspection. Lost in his own thoughts, he was oblivious to the lively conversation his adjutants conducted as their horses made their way down the street.

In the last few days, Tavington had spent nearly every idle moment not devoted to work thinking of his new relationship with the delightful Mistress Selton. For the first time in his life, he was actually seriously considering marriage. Though he'd lived his adult life thus far contentedly and avidly as an unrepentant rake, moving easily from one lover to the next, meeting Charlotte had changed all that. He always figured that he would marry eventually, most likely after returning to England after the war, but he'd realized that he'd finally found the right woman to marry without even trying.

Looking over at Wilkins, who was pointing out various sights to Bordon, Tavington made a mental note to get the man alone to interrogate him about Charlotte Selton's background and financial standing. It had been a stroke of luck that Wilkins had joined the Green Dragoons, considering the man had known her for much of his life and would have just the information Tavington would need before considering proposing marriage to her.

Twenty minutes after leaving the Selton home, the three dragoons arrived at the encampment, which was on the grounds of the large estate in which Cornwallis' headquarters was housed. Infantry soldiers, including fusiliers and grenadiers, were also encamped on the grounds as they awaited orders for deployment.

After they'd ridden through the gates, dismounted, and turned their horses over to waiting grooms, they strolled over to the encampment, where mounted sabre practice was going on. Tavington silently gestured to his two aides to hang back; to remain concealed behind some large bushes as they observed Lieutenant Ogilvie put the men through their paces. Ogilvie, a recent transfer from the 17th Light Dragoons, was also turning out to be a fine officer.

Tavington watched the practice intently for a long interval, well satisfied with the performance of his men. Turning to Bordon, he said, "It seems your idea to get Ogilvie from the 17th was a good one. He's made amazing progress with the men in a very short time."

"Yes, I'd say they're about ready to do some actual fighting," Bordon agreed.

Giving his attention to Wilkins, Tavington noted, "And your knowledge of the area and people was of invaluable assistance in finding the right men in the first place."

"Thank you, sir," Wilkins replied, quite pleased with his superior officer's praise.

Now walking forward to reveal himself to the mounted dragoons, Tavington said to his two adjutants, "We'll be ready any time Cornwallis gives the order, I'm thinking."

Lt. Ogilvie, seeing his commander approaching with the two captains, signalled to the men to take a break.

"You are to be commended, Lieutenant," Tavington said to the junior officer. "I never imagined that you could whip such raw recruits into shape in such a short amount of time."

"Thank you, Colonel," Ogilvie replied. "I was fortunate to get such apt students. I'd say they'll be ready to fight when Lord Cornwallis sends us upcountry.

Looking down at the neat row of tents where the dragoons and camp followers slept, Tavington asked, "And the baggage train? Is it fully equipped and are the camp followers ready to go when the General orders it?"

"We're just about there," Bordon put in. "Several of the men have brought their families along to serve as cooks and laundresses. The farriers and blacksmiths have been ready to go for at least a week now and we just signed on two surgeons just this week."

"Excellent," Tavington said. "Bordon, if you'll assist Ogilvie here in finishing the training session, I think I'll take a walk to inspect the camp." Gesturing to Wilkins, he said, "Wilkins, you're with me."

Several minutes later, as Tavington and Wilkins left the stables, Tavington paused at the entrance to a long row of tents. No one was nearby, so the dragoon commander thought it a perfect place for a private conversation.

Turning to his junior officer, he said, "You've known Mistress Selton and her family since your childhood, am I correct?"

"Yes, sir," Wilkins affirmed, wondering where Tavington was going with this line of questioning. "Our families had adjoining plantations and I can't remember ever _not_ knowing the Putnam family."

"She had just the one sister, I take it?" Tavington asked. "That's all I've heard her mention."

"She had a set of twin brothers," Wilkins told him. "But they were born sickly and neither one lived to be a year old. Her mother was never able to have more children after that."

"Such a shame," Tavington remarked. "I take it that Charlotte inherited the family plantation, rather than her sister?"

"Yes, sir," Wilkins confirmed. "She was the elder sister by one year and her father felt as if she'd made the better marriage of the two sisters. John Selton, being a younger son, had come to South Carolina to make his fortune in exporting rice back to England. This is how he met Charlotte, as her father's plantation grew mainly rice."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "I'd courted her sister, Elizabeth, and we'd had an understanding that we'd be betrothed after I returned from my education in England. Unfortunately, her heart was fickle and she married a local man before I could return."

"That's too bad," Tavington allowed. "I'm sure it would have been exceedingly profitable to merge your two plantations together."

"Yes, that is what our fathers had desired," Wilkins admitted. "But Elizabeth ran off with a local man who had distinguished himself during the French and Indian War. No money, you see, but only a good reputation." Sighing loudly, he continued, "Once they'd eloped, there was nothing her father could do, so he was doubly determined to make sure Charlotte made a good match."

"And did she?" Tavington queried. "I can assume Selton was a successful man judging from what Charlotte has now, but was he a good man? Did he love her?"

"Yes, I think so," Wilkins said slowly,

"How long were they married before he died?" Tavington asked.

"About ten years, I think," the other man replied.

"It seems odd they had no children," Tavington observed. "It would seem as if they'd have had several in that amount of time."

"Oh, she did have one baby," Wilkins told him. "Unfortunately, it only lived for three weeks."

"And what of Selton's loyalties?" Tavington pressed. "Was he loyal to the King or had he thrown his lot in with the rebels?"

"John Selton was not a political man," Wilkins told him. "He was a businessman first; trading with England allowed him to be quite prosperous. I can't say he would have been involved with anything that would change that."

Pleased by what he'd heard, Tavington said, "Thank you, Captain Wilkins. You were most enlightening."

"If I may be so bold to ask…" Wilkins began.

"Why am I asking so many questions about Mistress Selton?" Tavington finished for him.

"Yes, sir."

"Well, I might as well tell you, as it won't be a secret much longer," Tavington said. "I've been considering proposing marriage to Charlotte. Because you've known her quite a long time, I knew you would have the answers I needed to make that decision."

"And?" Wilkins asked.

"Yes, I believe I will ask her to marry me," Tavington said. "I'd not been planning to marry for a few more years yet, but when one meets the right woman, one must act."

"I wish you every happiness, sir,"" Wilkins said sincerely. "Charlotte is a fine woman."

"Thank you, Wilkins," Tavington replied.

At that moment, both men turned to see a messenger hurrying toward them.

"Begging your pardon, Colonel Tavington, sir!" the young man said as he reached the two officers, somewhat out of breath. "General Cornwallis had requested your presence in his office immediately."

A short time later, Tavington entered the Lord General's commodious office. As usual, General O'Hara was in the room, hovering over Cornwallis, who was seated at his desk.

"Ah, Tavington," Cornwallis said, looking up at Tavington entered the room. "There you are. I have good news for you."

Tavington did not speak, but waited for the Lord General to finish.

"I'm sending you and your dragoons to the upcountry," Cornwallis continued. "Tarleton has been having considerable problems with rebel activity along the Santee in the last week. I need him to move on to handle other things, so I'm ordering you and your men to head to the Santee to deal with the rebel activity and to guard our supply line up to Fort Carolina. I will be moving my headquarter there shortly and it is imperative that the supply line between Charles Town and Fort Carolina remains safe and passable. You will leave at the beginning of next week."

"Thank you, sir," Tavington said, relieved to finally get moving at last. "I've just made an inspection of my men and they're ready for combat."

"Excellent, Colonel," Cornwallis said. "That will be all for now".

As Tavington left the General's office, he found Bordon and Wilkins waiting in the anteroom.

"The general has ordered us into the field by the beginning of next week," he announced to his two junior officers. "Bordon, supervise the men and camp followers getting ready to move out." Turning to Wilkins, he said, "Wilkins, you're in charge of making sure we're fully provisioned before we head out."

Later, as he was riding back to the Selton home by himself, Tavington thought again of Charlotte. Despite being glad that he would finally be able to take his dragoons into the field to teach the rebels some hard lessons, he regretted that he would not have more time to properly court Charlotte at his leisure. Knowing that Charles Town would be continue to be filled with administrative level officers, many of whom outranked him, Tavington vowed not to allow Charlotte to slip through his fingers. Though he'd normally prefer a much longer courtship as was proper, he decided to propose to Charlotte without delay. After all, it wasn't as if she'd not been married before and would expect a large wedding.

William Tavington intended to be safely married to Charlotte Selton before he left to take his dragoons upcountry. Eager to propose to her, he spurred his horse on.

------

Author's Note: _Through much of history, people did not marry for love. Marriage was a practical matter, with love not being a primary consideration, if considered at all. Of course, many couples grew to love one another over time, but it wasn't the reason to get married in the first place. By the 17th century or so, things began to change and love became a more important consideration in choosing a spouse. The late 18th century was still a time of transition in that while love was now playing an increasingly important role in mate selection, practical considerations were still very important. Thus, Tavington's conversation with Wilkins about Charlotte's financial status would have been fitting for the times._

Next Chapter: _Haste to the Wedding_


	10. Haste to the Wedding

As William Tavington arrived back at the Selton home, he found Charlotte standing outside on the library balcony, enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. She turned and smiled as he walked over to her and bent to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"You're back a little earlier than I expected," she murmured as she turned her face up to him for another kiss. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you."

"There have been some developments at headquarters," he replied as he leaned down to kiss her again. "And I have a few things to discuss with you."

"Oh?" she said, intrigued by his earnest manner. "Do tell."

Taking her hand, Tavington led Charlotte to a pair of chairs on the far end of the balcony.

"I have something to ask you," he began after they'd seated themselves. "But first, I need to tell you something."

Charlotte smiled, but did not otherwise speak, knowing it was best to let him speak his piece first. She had an idea of what he was about to ask her, but did not want to presume anything.

"Lord Cornwallis told me today that I am to take my men upcountry along the Santee to quell rebel uprisings in that area," Tavington reported. "We are to leave at the beginning of next week."

"So soon?" Charlotte said, frowning. "I knew this had to come eventually, but I'd hoped I'd have more time with you before that happened."

"I agree!" Tavington said. "And this brings me to my question. I'd already planned to ask you this question before I received the general's orders, but now I'll merely be asking it a bit sooner than I'd intended." Taking both her hands in his own, he gazed intently into her eyes and asked, "Charlotte, will you do me the great honour of becoming my wife? I'm sorry that I don't have longer to properly court you, but circumstances bid me to ask you now."

Squeezing his hands, Charlotte replied. "Oh, yes, William, I would be very pleased to become your wife!" Charlotte had already mentally and emotionally anticipated and accepted this eventuality when she'd burned Ben Martin's note.

Taking her into his arms, Tavington murmured, "Truly, you have made me the happiest of all men."

"And I am the luckiest of women," Charlotte said softly. "When John died, I thought I'd never find a man as good as he was." After a pause, she admitted shyly, "Instead, I've found someone better."

"I'd like us to get married right away," Tavington told her. "If it's all right with you, we can skip the banns and have a private ceremony with the legion chaplain."

"Yes, the sooner, the better," Charlotte agreed. "I had a big wedding the first time and that was enough for me. I'll just wear my best gown and it will be perfect. All I'll need there is you."

"How about the day after tomorrow, then," Tavington suggested. "That should give your staff time to prepare an excellent wedding meal."

"That will be fine," she agreed happily. "And that will give me some time to do some packing," she continued. "I won't need to bring too much with me, as I've got plenty of clothing and other necessities at my plantation."

"Packing?" Tavington asked. "You're wanting to become part of the baggage train? I really must strongly advise against that. Bivouac accommodations are rather primitive and I'd feel much better knowing that you were safe in Charles Town."

"Oh, I don't intend to be a camp follower," Charlotte assured him with a smile. "But my plantation is along the Santee and I go up there several times a year to check on the work and to do the books on at least a quarterly basis. Considering that you will be heading in that direction, it is the perfect time for me to go. I know I'll be quite safe with you and your dragoons."

After a pause, she continued, "And I don't think I could bear to be parted from you for so long. If I'm at the plantation, you'll be able to see me fairly often."

"From what the general has told me, I expect there will be a fair amount of fighting near your plantation," Tavington said. "I don't think it will be safe for you to live alone at the plantation for any length of time.. I would be able to escort you there and use it as my base of operations for a few days, but after that I would insist that you take accommodations at Fort Carolina, where I am sure to be assigned private quarters."

"I won't need but a few days to do the books," she assured him. "So, things should work out well. And I will make a home of our quarters at the fort, so that you have a welcoming place to return to between battles."

Tavington leaned forward and kissed her again. "And I will feel better just knowing that you're safe within the fort."

The couple kissed for a long interval until they heard the sound of a throat being cleared behind them. They turned to see Bordon standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Congratulate us, Bordon," Tavington said smoothly. "We're engaged."

"That's good news, sir," Bordon said. "You're a lucky man. Congratulations to the both of you."

"Thank you, Captain Bordon," Charlotte said graciously.

"I'd come out to tell you that dinner is ready," Bordon told them.

"Excellent," Tavington replied, Turning to Charlotte, he extended his arm to her. "Shall we?"

Later that night, Tavington and Charlotte happily climbed the stairs to go to bed. They'd had an informal get-together after dinner to celebrate their engagement, with several people from headquarters stopping by, including General Cornwallis. Charlotte had opened several bottles of wine she'd been saving for a special occasion, which everyone greatly enjoyed.

As they each sat on the bed a few minutes later removing their clothing for bed, Tavington said, "I noticed Wilkins talking rather earnestly with you for quite some time. I'm curious; what did he have to say?"

Charlotte smiled to herself at William showing a little bit of jealousy. "Do you mean when General Cornwallis had you backed into a corner, talking on and on?"

"Yes, then," Tavington affirmed. "He was telling me all about the joys of marriage and how much he missed his late wife."

Taking her fiancé's hand, she said, "He was offering to give me away at the wedding. I've always thought of him as a brother and he's the closest thing to family I have here."

"That makes sense," Tavington agreed. "But don't you still have a brother in law living around here somewhere?"

"He has a farm near Wakefield on the Santee," she affirmed. "But I don't think he'd approve of our marriage, as I think he'd hoped to marry me himself. He's asked me several times."

"And you did not find his proposal appealing?" Tavington asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not at all," Charlotte told him. "He's a good man, but I just can't think of him in that way. Plus, I think the real reason he wanted to marry me was simply to give his seven children a new mother. It had very little to do with me personally."

"I must say that I'm very glad that you did not accept his offer," Tavington said, leaning forward to kiss her.

"I'm very glad I waited for a better offer," Charlotte agreed, taking him into her arms.

No more words were spoken, as they had better things to do with their time at that particular moment.

Two days later, Charlotte Selton stood looking at herself in her bedroom window as Ruth helped with her stays. Her best green and gold silk gown was draped over a chair in readiness.

"You're going to look so beautiful at your wedding," Ruth told her. "Colonel Tavington is a lucky man. All the other officers are going to be jealous when they see you."

"Thank you, Ruth," Charlotte said warmly. "But I think I'm the lucky one to get such a dashing, handsome husband."

Ruth sighed in agreement, as she found the Colonel's appearance just as pleasing as Charlotte Selton did. She would be travelling with the new Mistress Tavington to her plantation and then to Fort Carolina to serve as her personal maid and hoped she might be able to snag a young dragoon for herself.

A short time later, Charlotte was fully dressed and ready to go. Sparing one glance in the mirror, she took a deep breath and said, "I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be. Captain Wilkins is downstairs to escort me to army headquarters, where the Colonel is waiting to marry me. Sarah Porter will be meeting us there; I was lucky that at least one of my friends was still in town to serve as my matron of honour."

"We'll have your wedding dinner ready when you return," the maid promised.

As she descended the stairs a few moments later, she found James Wilkins waiting at the bottom, attired in his dress uniform.

Looking up at Charlotte as she came down to join him, James Wilkins observed, "Surely, you must be the most beautiful woman in Charles Town. I hope Colonel Tavington knows how fortunate he is." With a sweep of his hand, he said, "Your carriage awaits."

Taking her old friend's arm, Charlotte followed him out into the courtyard. Matthew opened the door to the carriage as they approached, then Wilkins helped her to climb inside. After making sure she was settled, he went to his waiting horse to escort her to headquarters. As Charlotte's carriage left the courtyard and entered the street, Charlotte was astounded and gratified to see every one of William's dragoons, each in dress uniform, waiting in formation to escort her carriage to her waiting husband-to-be.

People on the streets stopped what they were doing to stare at the wedding procession as it made its way at a stately pace toward Army headquarters. The troop of dragoons made an impressive sight, each sitting tall in the saddle wearing bear fur crested helmets. Charlotte wasn't the first Charles Town woman to marry a member of the occupation force, but she was likely the first to marry someone of William Tavington's rank and most certainly the only one to get a dragoon escort to her wedding..

After a short ride, the carriage turned into the semi-circular drive that led to the mansion that housed army headquarters. It stopped in front of a long brick stairway that led to a ornate set of double doors. The dragoons quickly dismounted, handing off their horses to waiting grooms, then some formed an honour guard on either side of the wide stairway.

James Wilkins helped Charlotte down from the carriage and escorted her up the stairs underneath the crossed sabres of the dragoon honour guard. Once inside the building, they walked down a long corridor and went through another set of double doors into a reception room, where Colonel William Tavington waiting expectantly by the fireplace, along with Captain Bordon and the Legion chaplain. Generals Cornwallis and O'Hara, along with several other officers sat is chairs off to one side. Lastly, Charlotte's friend, Sarah Porter, waited next to Captain Bordon, here to witness her friend's special day.

Tavington's eyes lit up when he saw Charlotte appear in the doorway, and her heart beat just a little faster as Captain Wilkins took her hand and placed it in the hand of her husband to be. Mesmerized by Tavington's expressive blue eyes, she barely heard the chaplain recite the wedding ceremony and spoke her vows almost by rote. Before she knew it, the chaplain had said that the groom may kiss the bride, then William's lips were upon hers. They enjoyed a long, unhurried kiss, oblivious to others in the room.

As they left he mansion a short time later, after well wishes from guests, Tavington led her back down the stairs, again under the crossed sabres of the dragoon honour guard. His saddled horse waited at the bottom. He quickly helped her to mount and arrange her skirts, then swung into the saddle behind her, then cantered off into the sunset with his new bride, amidst the cheering of his men.

"Oh, William, that was so romantic," Charlotte sighed as they quickly left headquarters behind. "I do love you."

"No more than I love you," he murmured. "Let's go home, Mistress Tavington."

-----

Author's note: _The "banns" that Tavington referred to were announcements made in church that a specific couple soon intended to marry. The banns were read for three successive Sundays prior to the wedding date. The purpose was to allow anyone to raise legal objections to the marriage before it took place. Normally, banns were required for a marriage to be legal, but could be waived under certain circumstances, which were more common during wartime.  
_  
Extra points to the one who can name the book where I took this chapter's name from. 

I have posted an entry on my blog as a companion to this chapter:_ Some Wedding Pictures_. My blog can be accessed through a link on my profile.

Next chapter: _ Travel and Trouble_


	11. Travel and Trouble

Three days after the wedding, Charlotte Tavington was packed and ready to make the move to the plantation. She'd not had all that much time to spend with her new husband since their wedding, as he'd been busy making final preparations to take his dragoons into the field. The newly-married couple had only seen one another in the mornings at breakfast and when they went to bed together at night.

Charlotte hadn't had much time to miss him, however, as she'd been busy with the packing and also briefing Matthew on things she wanted the staff to do while she was away. She'd left the butler in charge of the other servants during her absence, which she expected to be several months at least.

She'd had Ruth to iron her second-best riding habit and had packed another in her bags. William had insisted that she ride horseback, rather than in a carriage, as he suspected that there was a strong possibility of engaging rebel partisans on their way up the Santee. He'd ridden with her several times and was satisfied with her riding skills in case of such an emergency. Ruth, however, would be riding double with one of the younger dragoons, as she was not in any way a horsewoman.

On the morning of their departure, Charlotte and Tavington rose at 5:30 am in order to get an early start to the day.

William had hurriedly dressed, then went downstairs for his morning tea, while Ruth came in to help Charlotte with her stays. As Ruth pulled out a new set of stays from her wardrobe, Charlotte frowned, then said, "I think I'll wear jumps with my riding habit, rather than my stays. It will be more comfortable for a long ride that way."

"As you wish, Missus Tavington," Ruth murmured, as she returned to the wardrobe to get the required item. The young servant preferred wearing jumps to stays most of the time herself.

Within a short time, the newly married woman was ready to go. As she headed to the door, she told Ruth, "Make sure one of the men carries our things downstairs so they can be put onto the pack horses. After that, have cook to prepare us some food to take on the trip."

After the servant had rushed off to carry out her orders, Charlotte picked up a valise which contained all her jewellery, as she did not wish to leave it behind during the unsettled conditions that prevailed during wartime. During the trip to the plantation, however, the only jewellery she'd wear would be the wedding ring William had given her. She'd kept the old band John Selton had given her for sentimental reasons, but she'd never wear it again.

Satisfied that all was in order, she shut the door behind her for the last time before making her way downstairs to have breakfast with William.

The newlyweds ate breakfast hastily, eager to be off on their journey. As they rose from the table to leave, Tavington told Charlotte, "I've had a standard saddle put on your horse. You'll have better control that way and will be able to move faster if need be than on a sidesaddle. I hope that won't be a problem for you?"

"Oh, no," Charlotte assured him. "I'll be fine. I rode astride all the time as a girl growing up." After a pause, she added, "I'd much rather assure my safety than my modesty in any instance."

"Quite right," Tavington agreed briskly. "And you shouldn't be showing much more than your ankles and lower calves riding astride, anyway."

Nearly an hour later, they were proceeding steadily inland, heading north from the outskirts of Charles Town. Charlotte rode alongside William, with James Wilkins on the other side of her and Captain Bordon directly behind. Ruth rode double with a young cornet, alongside Captain Bordon. Two hundred and fifty dragoons accompanied them, so Charlotte felt quite safe. Indeed, it was obvious that the sight and sound of the large dragoon group thundering past was intimidating to people they'd encountered as they occasionally passed small farms. She'd noticed mothers grabbing their children as they approached, shepherding them inside, while the men also found reasons to make themselves scarce while the horsemen passed.

William Tavington made careful note of each farm they passed, but did not intend to stop and investigate them at this particular time, unless there was a strong indication of treasonous activity, as he wanted to get Charlotte safely to her plantation first. They'd not yet reached the area that the Lord General had indicated was the prime trouble spot, so the dragoon leader felt justified in taking this particular course of action at the present time. He had a small detachment of dragoons scouting ahead for any possible trouble spots, plus some others reconnoitering the surrounding areas.

It was a clear, sunny day and it had not rained in some time, so the dragoons made swift progress toward their destination. Their pace was somewhat slower than Tavington would like, so as to allow Charlotte to keep up with the dragoons, but not so slow that they shouldn't reach her home by nightfall. He was delighted at how good of a horsewoman his new wife had proven to be.

Shortly before noon, one of the dragoons, who'd been scouting ahead for a good place to stop for the midday meal, appeared out of the woods and came riding swiftly to his commander.

"Sir, there's a farm about a mile up ahead,' the young dragoon reported once he was alongside Tavington and had adjusted his horse's pace to conform with that of the group.. "It's about average size. I saw a farmhouse, barn, five slave shacks, and a few outbuildings. The farmer was working the fields, along with a handful of slaves. The wife was out front doing laundry, and there were a few kids each doing chores. I also noticed a creek running behind the property that should be sufficient for watering the horses."

"Thank you, Private," Tavington briefly acknowledged, after which the younger man rode off to rejoin the group.

Turning back to Charlotte, he said, "I'd imagine you're more than ready to take a break. We'll stop at that farm ahead for about an hour or so, to eat and rest while the men water the horses."

"Oh, yes," Charlotte agreed with a small smile. "I'll be quite glad to get off this horse for a while and walk around."

"If we are in luck, the woman of the house will have the noon meal ready when we arrive," he told her.

"Do you suppose she'll offer to feed us?" she asked doubtfully. "After all, we brought plenty of food with us."

"Whether or not she offers, she will feed you and I, plus Bordon and Wilkins," the dragoon said confidently. "It is the duty of every citizen to come to the aid of the King's soldiers. It's not as if I expect every dragoon to be given a meal, though we will use their creek for the horses." After a pause, he continued, "And I would imagine they will be inclined to be hospitable, considering that I am accompanied by such a fine lady."

Charlotte gave him a sly smile,, then murmured, "Perhaps the lady of the house will be dazzled by your dashing masculine appeal instead."

"Perhaps," he agreed, returning her grin. "But in either instance, we will not go hungry."

A short time later, the dragoon unit arrived at the farm at a fast canter. Tavington noticed that as soon as the woman of the house noticed their approach, she urgently whispered something to a boy around eight years old, who then ran off in the direction of the fields behind the barn. The dragoon commander made a mental note of this, then turned to Bordon and said, "Have some men look around discreetly to see if they can come up with any evidence of rebel activity."

"Yes, sir," Bordon acknowledged. Bordon was a master of stealth and if there was anything irregular about this homestead, James Bordon was the man to find it.

Tavington then turned to Wilkins. "Do you know these people?"

"No, sir," the other man replied. "I can't say that I do. But I'll keep my ears open and perhaps one of them will say something to give me a hint as to their associations."

"Good," Tavington said. "You'll stick close to the farmer, while Bordon will slip away to supervise a investigation of the property."

As the column of dragoons reached the house, Charlotte saw a tired-looking, rawboned woman clad in a rumpled shortgown and petticoat outfit protectively gather her remaining three children around her. She looked up at Tavington nervously, trying to hide the fear that she felt.

At the same time, an equally weary man, dirty from his labours, came loping toward the farmhouse with his son following close behind. He glanced over his shoulder one time at a middle aged slave standing in the doorway to the barn, who gave his master an almost imperceptible nod.

Tavington noticed the exchange between the two men. Speaking in a low tone, he said to Bordon, "Did you notice that?"

His second in command nodded affirmatively. "I'll check into it."

Turning his attention back to the farm couple, Tavington addressed the husband, who now stood in front of his wife and children, in a vain attempt to shield them.

"What do you need?" the farmer asked Tavington nervously. "I haven't done anything wrong. I'm just a farmer trying to mind my own business and feed my family."

"I didn't say that you had," Tavington replied smoothly, raising an eyebrow. "Just so long as you are loyal to King and Country." After a meaningful pause, the dragoon looked him straight in the eye and demanded, "You _are_ loyal, are you not?"

"Y-yes, sir," the farmer hastily affirmed. "I have no interest in fighting your men."

"Excellent," Tavington said, as he removed his riding gloves. "I am Colonel William Tavington of His Majesty's Green Dragoons and the reason we have stopped at your farm is to rest our horses and to take the noon meal. Might I know your name?"

"I am Elijah Draper." the other man supplied. He did not introduce Tavington to his wife and children.

After briefly nodding at the man's reluctant introduction, Tavington continued, "My men will require the use of your creek to water the horses." Looking at Draper's wife for the first time, then indicating Charlotte with one hand, he said, "My wife and I, and a couple of my officers will eat with your family. I trust that you have a meal ready or nearly so?:

Glancing anxiously at her husband, who gave her a nod, she replied, "Yes, sir. I have a stew cooking and there's some fresh bread."

"Excellent," Tavington said, as he dismounted.

"I'm sure it will be quite lovely," Charlotte said with an encouraging smile to the farm woman, after Tavington had helped her down from the horse.. She did not notice the woman narrow her eyes slightly to hear Charlotte's South Carolina accent

Taking his wife's hand to follow the farm couple inside, he gestured to Lieutenant Ogilvie. "You're with us." He then indicated for a couple of dragoons to precede the farm family into their home, then motioned to a few others to remain in front of the house, along with Ruth. Bordon unobtrusively slipped away to take a discreet look around the homestead.

A few minutes later, the Tavingtons sat around the roughly fashioned wooden table, along with Wilkins and Ogilvie, eating the stew Mrs Draper had reluctantly dished up for them. The farmer stood awkwardly by the fireplace, as his uninvited guests ate the meal intended for his family. His wife busied herself with feeding the children and had also fixed a plate for Ruth to eat outside, sending the oldest girl to take it to her.

As he ate, Tavington noticed the farmer several times taking surreptitious looks out the window. This wouldn't do, as he didn't want the man to see Bordon searching his property.

Turning toward the farmer, Tavington asked suddenly, "So, what do you know about partisan activity in this area? Do you think any of your neighbours have joined the rebel militia. I've heard reports of recruiting activities in this area."

"I haven't heard of such doings," Draper insisted. "Of course, I mind my own business and keep busy tendin' to my farm. I don't have the time to runnin' all over the countryside worrying about politics when I've got a family to feed. Farmin' takes all my time."

Tavington exchanged a glance with Wilkins, raising one eyebrow. Neither man believed the farmer was as clueless as to what went on in the area as he was trying to portray.

"Is that so?" Tavington said to the farmer. "Somehow, I find it hard to believe that you can be so ignorant about your neighbours' activities.

Draper exchanged a meaningful glance with his wife, who began to edge toward the door.

The dragoon leader turned his attention to the retreating woman. "Where are you going, Mrs Draper?" Tavington demanded in a deceptively soft voice. "Don't you know it's rude to leave one's guests unattended?"

"I need to fetch more water," she explained.

"Oh, that can wait," Tavington purred. "Do come sit down. I insist."

At hearing their commander's words, two dragoons who had come in with the group casually drifted toward the door, effectively blocking the exit. The Drapers would not be leaving their home until the Colonel gave the word.

A short time later, Bordon's head appeared in the doorway. The dragoon guards parted to allow him entrance, then took up their former positions.

"A word with you, Colonel, if I may?" Bordon said in a low voice.

After excusing himself and beckoning to Charlotte and Wilkins to follow them outside, Tavington turned to Bordon as soon as they were out of earshot of the farm couple, who remained under guard inside, and asked, "Well? Did you find anything?"

"Oh, yes," Bordon assured him smugly. "I found a sizable cache of muskets and rifles hidden in the barn covered with hay, behind some farm equipment. I questioned the slave who'd been left guarding the barn and after a bit of persuasion, he revealed everything to me. He also told me that his master recently had a visit from Thomas Sumter himself and some of his men, who'd left the weapons here for safekeeping." After a pause, Bordon laughed sardonically, then said, "It seems as if Draper is a cruel master, so the slave was only too willing to betray him."

"Good work, Bordon," Tavington enthusiastically told his second in command. "Get some men to collect the weapons, assign some others to fire the house and barn, Have some men to take anything of value, particularly horses. We'll hang Draper, but make sure to pick a spot to do it where Mrs Tavington won't have to witness it. Tell the slave he can take anything he wants from the house before it's fired as a reward for the information and I'll write him out a pass that should see him and his family safely to British lines. Tell him, there will be a job serving the King waiting for him when he gets there. Also, leave one of the slave shacks standing for Mrs Draper and the children and leave them enough food to get by with until some of their own people check on them."

"Right away, sir," Bordon said, then hurried off to assign dragoons to attend to the various tasks.

Giving his attention to Wilkins, he said. "Have the Drapers brought outside."

After Wilkins had left to carry out Tavington's order, Tavington turned to a burly sergeant. "I'll need you and a couple of men to stay here to guard Mrs Tavington and her maid. Be ready to mount up at a moment's notice."

"Yes, sir," the man said, coming to attention.

Walking over to Charlotte, who was standing a small distance away under a tree with Ruth, Tavington took her hands and spoke to her quietly, "We've run into a few complications here, I'm afraid. It seems that the Drapers aren't Loyal, after all, as Captain Bordon has found some weapons Draper had been stockpiling for the rebels. I must mete out the proper punishment, as is my duty. I ask that you remain here with the sergeant and these men, for your own protection. We'll be leaving shortly, so be ready to mount up."

"All right, William," Charlotte said softly, briefly putting a gentle hand on his arm.. "Please, be careful."

A moment later, two dragoons hustled the Drapers out into the yard, followed by Wilkins and Ogilvie, along with four anxious children.

Tavington walked slowly around the nervous farmer, giving him a hard gaze as he did so. "It seems you lied to me when you told me you were a Loyalist," Tavington said in a deceptively soft voice. Whirling around suddenly, the dragoon leader snarled, "Did you think I was simple and would not discover your deception?"

"I d-don't know what you're talking about," Draper protested uselessly.

"Don't you?" Tavington demanded coldly. "Let's refresh your memory, shall we?" Gesturing to the dragoon who held his arm to bring him along, the group headed to the barn.

Charlotte watched apprehensively, as her husband and several dragoons escorted Elijah Draper to the barn, followed by his terrified wife and children. She knew her husband was merely carrying out the duty that had been entrusted to him, but she couldn't help but feel a sorry for the wife and family.

Moments later, the dragoons shoved Draper into the barn, where Bordon was waiting with the uncovered cache of weaponry. Other dragoons prevented Mrs Draper and the children from entering the barn.

Tavington yanked up a Brown Bess musket from the pile and brandished it at Draper. "Well?" he demanded. "It seems you forgot to mention these when I asked you about rebel activity in the area."

"I never saw those before in my life!" Draper insisted unconvincingly. "I don't know how they got there!"

Rolling his eyes, Tavington said, "Elijah Draper, you are guilty of treason. The sentence is death by hanging, to be carried out immediately." He gestured to two dragoons who dragged the hapless farmer back outside to a large tree on the side of the barn opposite from the one that faced the farmhouse.

Other dragoons had already suspended a rope from the tree and fashioned a noose. At the sight of the rope, Draper uselessly struggled to get away from his captors. Soon, however, he was under the tree, where dragoons quickly bound his hands.

Realizing he could not avoid his fate, Draper called out to his wife, "Mattie! Don't let the children see this!" Giving his family one last glance, he said, "I love you all."

"I love you, too," she called out before hustling the children around the other side of the barn.

A horse was brought under the tree, after which the condemned man was hoisted upon it, then the rope around his neck tautened. After a nod from Tavington, one dragoon slapped the horse's flank. The horse ran, leaving Elijah Draper dangling in the air.

Death came quickly for the rebel farmer. After Tavington was certain that he was dead, he turned away and began heading back to the farmhouse, where Charlotte waited for him. Dragoons were already carrying out the other tasks he'd ordered.

As he headed to the house, Mattie Draper followed behind him, "Please, sir! What is to become of us?"

Not breaking stride, Tavington told her, "Perhaps you should have chosen a husband who would have remained loyal to the King." After a pause, he muttered. "I have ordered that one of the slave shacks be left for you and your children, along with sufficient food. It should be enough to last you for awhile." The dragoon quickened his pace, creating distance between himself and the grieving woman.

As he reached the house, dragoons had just set it ablaze. Looking back toward the barn, he saw that the last of the weapons had been removed and distributed among his men, after which they threw several torches inside.

"Mount up," he told the dragoons by the house, then helped Charlotte to mount. Within moments, the dragoon troop was once more on its way, leaving devastation in its wake.

Quite some time later, Tavington belatedly realized that Charlotte had said little since leaving the Draper farm. Turning to his wife, he said, "Let's ride ahead a little bit."

Once the couple was out of earshot of the other dragoons, Tavington asked, "What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

"I'm fine," she said. "Just somewhat tired, that is all."

"Please speak freely," Tavington urged. "I know you have something on your mind."

"Very well, then," Charlotte relented. Taking a deep breath, she continued in a low voice, "I don't mean to tell you your duty, but I was wondering why you couldn't have taken that man prisoner instead of hanging him? I felt so sorry for his wife and children."

Tavington exhaled a gusty sigh. He loved Charlotte's gentle, compassionate nature, so he could not be angry with her for her question. After a long moment, he replied, "He was guilty of treason, and the sentence for that is death. I'm afraid that the rules of war leave little room for compassion, my dear."

"Should he not at least have had a trial?" she asked softly. "Could you not have given him quarter and then let him be dealt with back at headquarters?"

"If he'd been a uniformed Continental soldier, then, yes," Tavington explained. "But the man was a partisan, thus deserving no quarter." After a pause, he concluded, "But the quick death I gave him is certainly more merciful than the slow death he would have had rotting away in the prison hulks."

"I understand,' she said slowly. "But I hate it. War is such a terrible business."

"Yes, it is," Tavington agreed. "That is why I intend to do my duty swiftly and to the best of my abilities to help bring it to a close as quickly as possible,"

------  
**Author's Note**: _ The word "partisan" in the 18th century was used much like we use the word "terrorist" today. Prisoners taken by the British were mainly held in the holds of old ships, referred to as "prison hulks", which were anchored in Charles Town. They were hot, crowded, rat infested and damp. Combined with scant and often spoiled rations, many did not survive this ordeal._

_No one guessed the origin of the chapter title "Haste to the Wedding". I got it from a chapter of the same name in Laura Ingalls Wilder's "These Happy Golden Years"._

_I've posted a new blog entry, "More Clothing Notes", that corresponds to this chapter. You can access my blog from my profile._

**Next Chapter**: _An Arrival and a Skirmish_

"


	12. An Arrival and a Skirmish

William Tavington and his dragoons finally arrived at Charlotte's plantation early that evening, without further incident, much to Tavington's relief. He was glad to get his new wife safely to their home, but he'd still not feel entirely comfortable until he'd escorted her to Fort Carolina, a couple of days hence,

As Tavington was helping Charlotte down from her horse in front of the house, two house slaves came out onto the porch, a dignified looking man in late middle age along with his wife, who was the cook. Some field hands had also emerged from their cabins in curiosity when they'd heard the thundering sound of the approaching dragoons.

"Missus Charlotte!" the male servant greeted, surprised to see the plantation mistress arriving home with a troop of British dragoons. "We all thought you were staying in Charles Town!"

"A bit of a change in plans, Rufus," Charlotte said, laughing. Turning to Tavington, who had taken her hand as they climbed the porch stairs, she said, "This is my new husband, Colonel William Tavington. We've only just been married."

Rufus exchanged a stunned look with his wife, but did not otherwise comment, as all the slaves had expected that she would eventually marry her widowed brother-in-law, Benjamin Martin. His wife, however, recovered quickly from her surprise. She came forward, a big smile on her face. "Oh, Missus Charlotte!" she said. "I'm so happy for you!

"Thank you, Magnolia," she said warmly. "I'm pretty happy for myself!"

Indicating both slaves with a slight gesture, Charlotte said, "William, this is Rufus, my major domo, and this is Magnolia, my cook, who is also in charge of the housekeeping staff. Rufus was also my late husband's manservant, but I believe I'll assign Rufus' son, Lucius, to be your manservant."

After nodding perfunctorily to each servant in turn, Tavington followed his bride into the large spacious home. Wilkins and Bordon had remained outside with the men for now, supervising the set-up of camp.

As he walked from one well-appointed room to another, Tavington's smile grew wider; James Wilkins had not exaggerated when he'd described how well-off Charlotte was. He looked forward to the end of the war, when he could reap the profits this plantation could garner for him. Still smiling, he thought he'd done very well for himself, indeed. An attractive, loving wife who brought equally attractive financial assets into a marriage; what more could a man want?

"And this will be our bedroom," Charlotte said, as she concluded the tour of the house, purposely saving it for last. She turned to her husband with a seductive smile and said, "I can't wait to try it out later tonight."

"Why wait?" Tavington murmured and he took her into his arms to give her an unhurried kiss. "No time like the present, I always say." He briefly broke away from his wife to firmly shut the bedroom door behind them.

"Oh, we don't have time," Charlotte protested feebly. "What if one of the Captains comes in and catches us?"

Tavington thought to himself that both men would simply envy his good fortune, but merely said, "My officers know not to barge into a room with a closed door." Kissing her neck urgently as he began raising her petticoats, he murmured, "And this one won't take long, but will only be a quick foretaste of what is to come later tonight. Forgive me, my dear, but I've been wanting you all day long and I cannot wait any longer."

Charlotte shivered in anticipation as she felt the cool air hit her legs. She was just as desirous of William as he was of her, her misgivings about discovery forgotten.

"Lean against the windowsill," Tavington instructed her. "This is going to be a quick one."

Charlotte obeyed, leaning over to brace both hands on opposite sides of the windowsill. She looked out at the dragoons pitching tents at various places on her grounds, as William finished lifting her skirts and getting into position behind her.

She heard the rustle of her husband unbuttoning his breeches, then pushing them down far enough to free his erection from its cloth confinement. Within seconds she felt his warm breath on her neck along with one arm around her waist, the other caressing between her legs.

Tavington found that his new wife was already aroused, so he eased forward, only giving perfunctory attention to the preliminaries. He entered her smoothly, pausing for a moment as she sighed in pleasure to be filled.

After a moment, he began moving, slowly at first, then with increasing vigour, knowing that they only had a few minutes before the two Captains would come looking for him.

"Oh, William, you're so delightfully decadent," Charlotte moaned in pleasure as he continued to pound into her rapidly

"I aim to please," he growled into her ear as he rushed toward his climax. Within seconds, he came with a satisfied grunt.

No sooner than Tavington pulled out of her than they heard the sound of boots pounding on the stairs, followed a moment later by a knock on the door. "Colonel!" Bordon called. "Are you in there?"

"I timed that one just right," Tavington murmured to Charlotte, raising an eyebrow, as he tucked himself back into his breeches.

"Two minutes sooner and he'd have heard us!" Charlotte hissed in mock embarrassment as she straightened her petticoats.

"Just a moment, Bordon!" Tavington called out through the door. Turning back to Charlotte, he gave her a kiss, then said in a low voice, "We'll continue this later tonight, I promise."

"I look forward to it," she said with a not-so-demure smile.

Tavington reluctantly broke away from her to open the door for Bordon. "What is it, Bordon?" he demanded impatiently.

Bordon began to walk into the room until he noticed the flushed faces of both his commander and his new bride and realized the reason for the closed door. He flushed, embarrassed as to have barged into this intimate moment between the newlyweds, while simultaneously wondering why couldn't they have waited until bedtime.

"Uh, ah, err," he stammered awkwardly, as he backed out of the room.

Tavington sighed at Bordon's obvious discomfiture as he followed him out of the bedroom, giving Charlotte one last, longing gaze as he did so. "Spit it out, Bordon," he finally said, once he'd closed the door and the two men stood alone in the hallway.

"It was nothing important, sir," the Captain said lamely. "I merely wanted to report that the men have set up camp and I've taken the liberty of having several sentries posted around the property."

"Excellent," Tavington replied as they made their way down the stairs. "Send a detachment out the reconnoiter the surrounding area for any rebel activity and also to find forage for the horses."

"Right away, sir," Bordon said, hurrying out of the house.

Some time later, Tavington and Charlotte were sitting around the dinner table with Bordon and Wilkins eating a late dinner.

"I must compliment your cook," Tavington said after finishing his meal. "The food is excellent."

"I'm sure Magnolia will be quite pleased to hear your praise," Charlotte said, giving him a warm smile. "She takes great pride in her cooking."

"I must agree,' Wilkins said to Tavington. "Before the war, I was always glad to accept an invitation to dine with the Seltons, knowing I'd get a good meal."

"So, you came just for the food, then?" Charlotte teased her old friend.

"Of course not," he quickly amended. "But it definitely made me accept your invitations much more quickly."

Leaning back in his chair to look at Wilkins as a young maid served after dinner drinks, Tavington said, "So, when was the last time you were able to visit your home, Captain Wilkins?"

"It's been a few months," the tall dragoon replied.

"What do you know of the loyalties of those living in this area?" Tavington asked, as he sipped the wine he'd been served.

"Well, I'd say that a good many of the farmers here would rather just be left alone to work their farms," Wilkins began slowly. "But, if made to choose, I'd say most of them would likely be rebels. There are a few that are loyal, such as myself, but I believe we're the minority."

"It would seem as if we have our work ahead of us, then," Tavington replied.

Two days later, shortly before dawn, a muffled knock sounded at the Tavingtons' bedroom door. As the couple had spent some time making love after retiring for the night several hours earlier, Tavington did not immediately awaken. A second knock came, this time louder, accompanied by a hushed voice.

"Colonel Tavington?" It was the young dragoon who had been posted to sentry duty on the home's front porch.

Tavington awakened this time. "What is it?" he called out groggily as he got out of bed and stumbled to the door, stopping only to hurriedly throw his banyan on over his naked body.

"I'm sorry to wake you, sir, but there's a messenger waiting downstairs to see you," the young dragoon explained. "The infantry commander from Tarleton's Legion sent him."

"All right," Tavington said. "Tell him I will come downstairs momentarily."

"Yes, sir."

Several minutes later, Tavington descended the stairs, having hastily pulled on his breeches and shirt and stuffed his feet into a pair of bedroom slippers.

As reached the foot of the stairs, he found the young courier standing at the end of the hall by the front door with the sentry in quiet conversation.

"Colonel Tavington?" The courier turned to give Tavington his full attention.

"Yes," the dragoon commander said tersely. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry to awaken you so early, but Major Cochrane is requesting the presence of your dragoons near Wakefield right away," the young soldier explained. "Our scouts have spotted a Continental unit near there and our men are preparing to engage them. Colonel Tarleton had taken our dragoons further upcountry toward the Waxhaws two days ago, so we are currently without dragoons."

"All right, then," Tavington said. "We will be on our way as soon as possible."

"I'm to wait and guide you to where our men are waiting," the courier said.

"Yes, of course," Tavington replied. Turning to the dragoon sentry, he said, "Go wake Captains Bordon and Wilkins and have them meet me down here in ten minutes. Then go find Lt. Ogilvie and have him muster the men immediately."

"Right away, sir," the young dragoon replied.

As Tavington entered his bedroom to dress a couple of moments later, he found Charlotte sitting up in bed waiting for him.

"I'm sorry," Tavington murmured. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"What's going on?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"

"There's a battle afoot a few miles from here," he explained. "It's Tarleton's infantry preparing to engage some Continentals. Tarleton took his dragoons upcountry a few days ago, so they're in need of dragoons."

"Oh, my," she said, obviously worried. "I do hope you'll be careful."

"Of course, my dear," Tavington said smoothly. "As a precaution, I'll be leaving Captain Wilkins and a detachment of dragoons here to protect you while I'm gone. I would imagine we'll be able to return tonight at the latest."

"I'll be praying the entire time that the battle goes well and that you return home safely to me," she said.

Leaning over to give her a kiss as he stood by the bedside, he said, "And I'll keep you in mind while I'm gone." Moving to stand by the mirror, he began to comb his hair in preparation of arranging it back into a queue. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, he added, "You might as well go back to sleep; there's no need for you to get up this early."

"Oh, I can do that after you've left," she said, as she put on a robe over her shift. Taking the comb from his hands, she said, "Let me do that. It will go quicker if I do."

"You're right," Tavington agreed, as he fastened his cravat while Charlotte combed and arranged his hair into a queue.

After he'd finished dressing and cleaning up, Charlotte said, "Let me get Magnolia to fix you something to eat on the way while you're briefing your captains. There should be some biscuits left over from last night that should take just a moment to pack."

Leaning over to kiss her again before heading to the door, he murmured, "Ah, you do spoil me. I could get quite used to this, you know."

"I'll feel better about you going into battle if I know you've had something to eat," she said. "Surely you will fight better on a full stomach."

Within a half hour, Tavington and his dragoons were on their way, moving stealthily through the countryside. By the time the first rays of the coming dawn appeared, they'd met up with Tarleton's infantry. The skirmish that ensued shortly thereafter was anticlimactic, as the British force surprised the sleeping Continentals in their camp before the sentries could sound the alarm and was over in less than a half hour

Directly after the battle Tavington took the dragoons into the surrounding countryside to mop up and to round up stragglers, leaving the infantry to deal with the dead and the wounded who were unable to leave the field.

About a mile from the battlefield, they came upon a farmhouse which apparently had been converted into a makeshift hospital. As they rode up to the house, Tavington noted that there were several wounded soldiers on the house's porch, both British and Continental. Two men, several children, and a couple of slaves were tending to the men. Tavington's instincts told him that there was something more going on there than simply medical care, so he ordered a few dragoons to search the house and outbuildings.

His suspicions soon proved to be correct. After a few moments of questioning the decidedly nervous farmer, one of the dragoons came out of the house with a case that contained a handful of rebel dispatches.

Tavington noticed the two men from the farm exchanging uneasy glances as he took the leather case from the dragoon and began riffling through the papers within. Finding letters from General Gates to Thomas Sumter and Francis Marion that included future battle plans, Tavington knew he'd intercepted a spy, fortunately before the dispatches could be delivered. He knew that the Lord General would be quite pleased with the papers, which he intended to turn over to Cornwallis at the earliest opportunity. But first, he had to ferret out the spy amongst them.

Looking up from the papers to the group on the porch, he demanded, "Who carried these?"

Dead silence greeted his question. If it had been night, Tavington was sure he'd have been able to hear crickets chirping in the utter quiet.

Now thoroughly put out, Tavington raised his voice. "WHO CARRIED THESE?"

The younger of the two men reached down to slip on a discarded blue Continental regimental coat. "I did, sir," the blond headed man said, stepping forward nervously.

"Gabriel, don't," the older man warned in a low tone.

"It's all right, Father," Gabriel said. He knew he had to step forward to protect his family.

"Oh, he's your son," Tavington said, rolling his eyes. "I see now." Having made a decision, he made an announcement to the group., "Those who harbour enemies of the King will lose their homes."

Turning to Lt. Ogilvie, he ordered, "Fire the house and barn. If there's a wagon, take it and any horses you find to transport our wounded. If there's any room left in the wagon, take Continental wounded, but only the ones who are likely to survive. Put the dying ones out of their misery."

"Yes, sir."

Turning to a group of about twenty British infantry soldiers who had recently straggled into the yard, he addressed their leader as he pointed to Gabriel. "Bind this man and take him to Fort Carolina to be hanged as a spy."

"You can't hold him as a spy!" the farmer protested feebly. "He was carrying a marked case and according to the rules of war ---"

Tavington cut him off with a smirking laugh. "We're not going to _hold _him, we're going to _hang_ him!" Easing his pistol out of its holster, he pointed it first at the man, then at the children on the porch. "Perhaps you or your children need a lesson in the rules of war?"

The farmer immediately backed down. "No lesson will be necessary," he said miserably.

One of the older children, a teenage boy, who was standing in the yard near a tree watched this exchange with increasing agitation. If his father didn't do something quickly, his brother was going to die.

"Father, do something!" he said urgently.

"Quiet!" the older man hissed, desperately hoping Thomas would keep his mouth shut.

However, the teenage boy couldn't stand by and watch his brother being led to his death. If his father wasn't going to do anything to stop it, then he would. As he frantically tried to think of what he could do to help his brother, his eyes fell on a nearby dragoon, whose holstered pistol was in plain view.

Acting instinctively, he ran up and grabbed the pistol, hoping it was loaded. Thomas rushed toward the two infantrymen who had bound Gabriel's hands and were about to lead him away.  
He fired at one of the soldiers, but the shot went wild, with the bullet thunking harmlessly into a tree.

William Tavington, also acted instinctively after seeing the teenage boy rushing forward with the weapon. He drew his own pistol, with his shot coming a split second after Thomas' shot. The dragoon, however, did not miss, with the shot hitting the teenager squarely in the back.

Thomas had nearly reached Gabriel when the shot hit him. Gabriel saw his brother's eyes widen in shock before he fell, mortally wounded. He was unable to go to his brother's aid, as the two infantrymen held him in place. Instead, he watched in disbelieving horror as his father went to his fallen brother's side.

Tavington sighed loudly and rolled his eyes as the farmer turned his face up to him with sheer loathing after the boy had died in his arms. It was regrettable that he had to kill the youth, but it had to be done in order to maintain control of the situation.

Sneering down at the man, he hissed, "Stupid boy," then spurred his horse as he turned to leave the yard.

As he left the yard, followed by his aides, accompanied by the hiss and crackle of flames consuming the farmhouse, he did not hear the farmer's plaintive words: "Was that necessary? He was just a boy."

A short time later, as the dragoons headed back to the plantation, Tavington put the incident out of his mind. He looked forward to a hot meal and his wife's welcoming arms, and urged his horse on.

-----

**Author's note**: _A "banyan" was the 18th century version of a man's bathrobe. Banyans were also worn over a shirt and breeches for casual _wear.

**Next chapter**: _Meanwhile, Back At The Plantation._


	13. Meanwhile, Back at the Plantation

Charlotte Tavington did not return to bed after William had ridden out with his dragoons. She still had some packing to do in preparation for moving to Fort Carolina, plus she'd not yet finished updating the plantation's account books. She'd given William a brief tour of the plantation the day before, but it had only been a cursory going-over, as she wanted to spend as much time as she could relaxing with her new husband. Charlotte decided to walk it again with the overseer, going over things in more detail, just as soon as she finished with the books

But first, she intended on having a good hearty breakfast to start the day. Because of the early hour, Charlotte decided to remain in her nightclothes to eat, As she slipped downstairs to see if Magnolia had already started breakfast, she encountered Ruth at the bottom of the stairs.

"Ruth!" Charlotte said. "I didn't expect you up quite this early."

"I heard the dragoons leaving and couldn't get back to sleep," her maidservant explained. "I'd thought I'd have some breakfast before coming to help you with your stays."

"Go ahead and eat, then," Charlotte said. "I'm not quite ready to get dressed yet."

"Would you like for me to have your breakfast brought to your room, Missus?" Ruth asked. "It shouldn't take but a few minutes."

"Yes, that would be lovely," Charlotte decided. "I can work on the books for a little while in the meantime. And if you could arrange to have a bath sent up after breakfast, I'd appreciate that as well."

"Yes, Missus, right away," Ruth said as Charlotte turned head back up the stairs.

A few moments later, Ruth entered the kitchen where Magnolia was indeed making breakfast, assisted by two young slave girls. Rufus and his son, Lucius, were seated at a small table, eating their breakfasts, as the Irish maidservant entered the room.

"Mornin', Miss Ruth," Magnolia greeted her. "Pull up a chair and have you some breakfast."

"Thanks, I think I will," Ruth said, smiling at the older woman. "Mistress Tavington would like her breakfast sent up to her room and, in a little while, wants a bath sent up."

"I'll send Pansy here with her breakfast, indicating a young teen slave girl," Magnolia decided. Turning to her son, Lucius, she said, "When you're done eating, Lucius, go get a few boys to help you with Miss Charlotte's bath."

"Yes'm," the young man replied.

"I just can't get used to calling Miss Charlotte, 'Missus Tavington'," Rufus commented as Ruth sat down to join them at the table. "I'd always thought she'd end up marrying Mister Ben Martin."

"We all did," Magnolia said, agreeing with her husband. "But if I say so myself, Miss Charlotte never seemed all that eager to marry Mister Ben. I don't think she was ever in love with him."

"She's all moony-eyed over Colonel Tavington, that's for sure," Magnolia continued. "I don't think she was that moony eyed even over Mister John."

"Mister Ben is going to be sorely disappointed when he finds out Miss Charlotte married someone else," Lucius put in. "I think he counted on marrying her so his children could have a mother. He's not been the same since Miss Elizabeth died."

"Well, I'd imagine he'll find out pretty soon," Rufus observed. "When he was here a couple of weeks ago lookin' for news about Miss Charlotte, he said he'd be checkin' back every so often,"

"Oooooh, Colonel Tavington isn't going to like that one bit," Lucius predicted, whistling. "I'll bet Mister Ben will end up leavin' here with his tail tucked between his legs when he does come back to visit."

Everyone laughed heartily at the notion of this, as none of them had been looking forward to the prospect of having Benjamin Martin as their new master. So far, William Tavington had seemed as if he'd be a fair master, so the slaves didn't have a whole lot of sympathy for Benjamin Martin.

"Colonel Tavington is going to be taking Miss Charlotte up to Fort Carolina when he gets back, anyway," Ruth told them. "He thinks she'll be safer there, now that she's married to him." After a pause, she added, "I'll be going with them as her maid."

"That might be best," Rufus said. "There aren't too many of the King's Men living 'round these parts and some of the folks 'round here might get a bit riled when they find out she's married to a British soldier."

Some time later, Ruth knocked at Charlotte Tavington's bedroom door to help her to dress for the day.

"Come in!"

The young Irish woman entered the room and found Charlotte seated at her desk clad only in her shift and robe, hastily scribbling into the farm's account book.

"I came to see if you were ready for me to help you with your stays," Ruth said.

"Yes, I think so," Charlotte said. "I'm about done with the books, anyway, and I'm ready to go outside and get some fresh air, in any instance.

A moment later, as the maidservant was tightening the older woman's stays, she said, "I heard something you might be interested in when I was having breakfast this morning."

"Oh?" Charlotte said, her curiosity piqued.

"Rufus mentioned that Mr Martin had been by to visit a couple of weeks ago," Ruth reported. "He said that Mr Martin was quite disappointed that you weren't here and that he'd be back to check on you again some time soon."

"Oh, dear," Charlotte said in dismay. "Ben has always had the tendency to be annoying persistent."

Ruth did not comment, but waited for her employer to continue.

"It's just as well we're moving to the fort, then," Charlotte said briskly. "I don't relish the idea of Ben meeting William under such circumstances at all. I'm afraid there would be a most unfortunate scene if that were to happen." Sighing heavily, she added, "I hope William gets back by tonight, as I'd hate for Ben to show up first, then William return to find him here."

"Yes, ma'am," Ruth agreed.

"I'll have to tell Ben sooner or later that I've remarried," Charlotte said. "But not now. Perhaps I'll write him a letter once I'm safely settled at the fort."

A few minutes later, Charlotte was dressed. As she and Ruth headed downstairs, she asked, "Have you seen Captain Wilkins this morning? William told me he was leaving him and some dragoons behind to protect us and I thought I'd see if he would like to go with me to inspect the farm."

"I saw him heading to the dining room to have breakfast just as I was coming upstairs," the maid reported. "He told me that you could find him out in the barn if you needed to see him."

"All right, then," she said. "Why don't we go to the barn and see if he's there?"

A few minutes later, the two women entered the barn, where they found James Wilkins tending to his horse.

"Good morning, Captain," Charlotte said, as they joined the tall dragoon. "It's a lovely day and I thought you might wish to join me as I inspect the farm." After a pause, she hastily added, "That is, if you're not too busy."

"I'd be happy to," Wilkins said, smiling.

"Excellent," she said. "Let me find my overseer, Nathaniel Stanton, and we'll get started right away."

"Stanton?" Wilkins asked. "What happened to Jacob Burke?"

"Oh, he died suddenly a couple of years ago," she said. "I hired Mr Stanton not long after. He was a recent immigrant and needed a job He's worked out rather well."

"I'm glad you found a good man," the dragoon said. Offering his arm to Charlotte, he said, "Shall we?"

"No time like the present," Charlotte agreed as she accepted his arm. Ruth trailed behind them at an acceptable distance.

They found Nathaniel Stanton down by the river, standing in front of a section of irrigated rice, watching as several slaves worked among the plants.

"Good morning, Mr Stanton," Charlotte said. "I thought I'd take a more extensive look at the fields today to see how things are getting along."

"I figured you might want to do that today, Mistress Sel-- , err, Tavington," he said. Stanton had yet to become accustomed to his employer's new name.

Turning to Wilkins, she said, "This is Captain James Wilkins. I've known him since childhood, as his parents were neighbours of my parents. And like us, they also farmed rice."

Stanton looked at the tall dragoon with interest. "Did you follow in your father's footsteps, Captain?"

"Yes, I did," the dragoon affirmed, as they walked along, viewing different sections of rice fields on both side of the river. "Of course, I've had to leave my plantation in charge of my younger brother while I'm serving with the Green Dragoons."

"Do you plan to return to farming after the war," Stanton asked.

"I hope to," he said. "Perhaps by then I'll have married and be ready to start a family as well." After a pause, he added, "I've been thinking of diversifying when I return to farming. Rice and indigo are the biggest crops in this area now, but I've thought about branching out into cotton. I'm thinking I could make a huge profit with it, as it would be much cheaper for American merchants to buy locally grown cotton, rather than having to get it from overseas."

"That's an excellent idea, Captain," Charlotte put in. "I believe I'll bring up the idea with William when the opportunity presents itself."

"If you like, Mistress Tavington, I could plant a small section of cotton when planting season rolls around again, just to see how it does," Stanton offered.

"Yes, by all means," Charlotte agreed. "That's an excellent idea."

Some time later, as the group returned to the plantation house, Charlotte and Wilkins went inside to eat the noon meal.

Ruth was about to go inside as well, to eat in the kitchen, when Nathaniel Stanton asked her in a low voice, "Would you like to eat with me? Considering it's such a nice day, we could eat outside in the back garden."

Looking up at the handsome sandy-haired man, who appeared to be only a few years older than her, she accepted with a bright smile. "Yes, I'd like that very much."

Later that afternoon, Charlotte took some needlework and went to sit on the front porch as she waited for William and his dragoons to return. Ruth had joined her, bringing along some mending to do.

Noticing her employer's pensive expression, Ruth said quietly. "I'm sure everything is fine, Miss Charlotte. I can't see anyone getting the better of Colonel Tavington."

Giving the young woman a smile, Charlotte replied, "I'm sure you're entirely correct. But I won't be able to relax completely, until I see the Colonel galloping up the lane."

"I'm sure he'll be along soon," Ruth said.

Turning to Ruth was a small smile, Charlotte said, "I noticed that Mr Stanton seemed quite taken with you."

Ruth blushed scarlet, then said, "Yes, ma'am, I think he is. He invited me to share lunch with him."

"How did that go," Charlotte said, leaning closer, interested.

"Oh, we had a wonderful time,' Ruth said, smiling. "He was quite easy to talk to and, if I say so myself, he's quite handsome."

"That he is," Charlotte said, smiling.

As the two woman sat chatting, they suddenly heard a faint rumbling sound in the distance. Charlotte was instantly alert and her gaze shifted to the road. She saw a large cloud of dust far in the distance, that soon gave way to reveal the returning dragoons, with William in the lead.

Rising quickly from her seat, Charlotte said, "Oh, it's William!" After hastily throwing her needlework down on the chair, Charlotte hurried down the steps into the yard to greet her returning husband.

As soon as he caught sight of his wife waiting for him in the yard, William Tavington spurred his horse on, eager to take Charlotte into his arms again. Moments later, he reined in his horse in front of the house. Immediately dismounting, he leaned down to take Charlotte into his arms for a long, unhurried kiss. "I came home safely to you, just as I promised," he murmured after they came up for air. "There was nothing to worry about."

Charlotte said nothing, but merely leaned in to kiss him again, glad to have him home again, safe and sound.

-----

**Next Chapter:** _A Shocking Discovery_


	14. A Shocking Discovery

A short time later, Charlotte and Tavington were enjoying a private dinner out on the veranda. The newlyweds wanted to have as much private time together as possible before he'd have to spend most of his time out in the countryside chasing rebels.

After their meal had been served and they were left alone, Tavington asked, "What did you do while I was away? I hope you're finished with the farm business as I've decided it's time that you move to the fort. There's simply too much potential for rebel activity in this area for me to feel save leaving you alone here for any extended period of time."

"Oh, yes, I'm ready to go," she assured him. "I've finished with the books, and I've thoroughly inspected the farm." Putting a gentle hand on his arm, she said, "I kept busy, you see, so I wouldn't sit around brooding, worrying too much if you were safe. Despite that, however, I could not relax until I saw you appear at the end of the lane."

"There was no need to worry," he assured her, smiling as he put one hand over hers. "We had the battle well in hand and most of my time away was spent in rounding up stragglers." He did not mention having to kill the reckless teenage boy at the first farm, as he didn't wish to upset her delicate feminine sensibilities.

Changing the subject, he murmured, "Why don't we go to bed early tonight? We're going to have to get an early start in the morning and I've been thinking all day long about lying with you this evening."

"An excellent idea," she said, without so much as a hint of a blush.

A very short time later, they went inside to retire. As they passed by the front sitting room, they saw Bordon and Wilkins playing a game of chess.

"I'll be just a moment," Tavington told Charlotte. "I need to have a word with the captains."

As Charlotte waited at the bottom of the stairs, Tavington entered the room to speak with the two men.

"Mistress Tavington and I are retiring for the evening," he informed them briefly. "I do not wish to be disturbed unless it is a dire emergency. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," both men said in unison, repressing their instinctive smiles.

"Excellent," he said, turning away from them. "I want to be on the road to Fort Carolina tomorrow morning by six at the latest. Make sure the men are ready."

After the men had acknowledged his orders, Tavington returned to Charlotte and the couple mounted the steps with no further ado, eager to be in one another's arms once again.

---------

Shortly after Tavington and his dragoons had left his farm in ruins and had turned Gabriel over to the infantry soldiers, Benjamin Martin had gathered his remaining sons together. He'd been able to retrieve the family guns from the burning farmhouse and had decided to follow the infantry unit to try to rescue Gabriel if an opportunity presented itself. He had no one to help him, save his two oldest remaining sons, but they'd suffice, as he'd taught them well in managing rifles and muskets.

Luck had been with them, as the three Martins had been able to save Gabriel, though it had necessitated a lot of bloodshed to accomplish. Benjamin Martin had wanted to stay out of the war; to mind his own business and to tend to his family's welfare, but Tavington's invasion of his farm had changed all that. And with what he'd had to do to save Gabriel's life, Martin knew he'd effectively burned his bridges behind him. As they'd returned to their homestead where the younger children waited, Martin vowed to enlist as many of his neighbours as possible to form a partisan group to drive the British from the countryside.

Now that Gabriel was safe, Ben turned his attention to finding a safe place to take his remaining children. Charlotte's plantation was closest; about seven miles downriver on the Santee. Charlotte still hadn't been in residence the last time he'd checked a couple of weeks ago and it was unlikely that she'd be there now, but he knew that she'd welcome the children into her home, considering what had happened.

Ben had decided that once the children were settled in their aunt's home that he'd have to risk another trip to Charles Town to plead his case with Charlotte yet again, to see if she would see reason this time and consent to marry him. Now, more than ever before, his children needed her.

After they'd returned to the burnt farmhouse, Ben had taken the time to give Thomas a proper burial and to salvage whatever he could from the ruined farm. He and the boys managed to shoot a few rabbits, which had become the family's supper. Then, after a few hours of rest, the family set out for Charlotte's plantation on foot.

They stayed off the main road, not wanting to risk running into any British night patrols. Stopping often to rest, they did not reach Charlotte's plantation until just before the sun was rising. As they neared the end of the woods that abutted her property, Ben Martin heard an indistinct murmuring sound that soon revealed itself to be the sound of several voices as they moved closer to the edge of the woods. Then he suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of horses at intermittent intervals: snuffling, whinnying, the faint squeaks of saddle leather and the jingling of metal parts, along with the clip-clop of equine hooves. From the frequency and the volume of the equine sounds, Ben realized there were far more horses at Charlotte's plantation than normal.

Holding up one hand for silence, he motioned for the group to halt. "Wait here with the children until I investigate," he told Gabriel.

The young man nodded, having heard the same sounds as his father had. Putting a finger to his lips, warning the children to remain quiet, he watched his father carefully creep forward. Within a couple of minutes, Ben hurried back.

"Green Dragoons!" he hissed. "They're all over the grounds!"

"What are you going to do?" Gabriel asked. "If Aunt Charlotte is in there, she's in danger!"

"First of all, we don't know if she's even there," Ben pointed out. "And it looks like they just spent the night here, as some of them are still breaking up camp. It doesn't appear as if they plan to fire the house, so I'd guess that Charlotte isn't there."

After a pause, he continued, "I'm going to sneak up to hide under the porch to see if I can hear anything that might be useful. And if I'm going to do it, I need to do it now, while it's still not fully light. The tree cover should also help to conceal my approach."

"Why don't you let me do it, Father?" Gabriel asked.

"Because you've escaped from British custody," Ben told him. "If they catch you, they'll hang you immediately. If they catch me, I can merely say I'm there to visit my sister-in-law."

"All right," Gabriel conceded grudgingly.

"And if they do catch me, I don't want to try to rescue me," Ben told him firmly. "I want you to get the children out of here as quickly as possible to head for your Uncle Henry's and Aunt Sarah's farm. The children's welfare must come first. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," the young man acknowledged.

Turning to the other children, Ben said, "I want you all to remain very quiet and obey Gabriel while I'm gone. It's very important." After hugging each child in turn, he quickly made his way to the edge of the forest.

Surveying the scene in front of him, he concluded that the dragoons were preparing to ride out and were not paying particular attention to the woods surrounding the plantation. Taking his chance, he quietly crept forward, moving from bush to bush to aid in concealment. Luck was with Benjamin Martin, as he reached the edge of the porch undetected.

The high porch had a large crawl space underneath, screened by wooden latticework. Ben knew the latticework had come loose in one corner and if pulled would allow him to squeeze inside the space underneath the porch. Indeed, on the visits his family had made over the years to the Selton plantation, his children had made ample use of this space in their play.

No sooner than Ben crawled under the porch and pulled the latticework back into place than he heard the front door open and close.

"Tell the men to mount up, Bordon, as we'll be leaving shortly," a haughty cold voice ordered.

Ben froze at the sound of the voice, which he recognized immediately. It was Tavington, the man who had carelessly killed Thomas and had sentenced Gabriel to death. He had to struggle to resist his immediate urge to rush out and attack the man, knowing he'd be signing his own death warrant if he did so. Instead, he hunkered down to continue to eavesdrop.

"Yes, sir," another British voice answered. "Right away."

"Wilkins, are Mistress Tavington's pack horses loaded and ready to go?" Tavington demanded.

"Yes, sir," Wilkins said. "I had two men take of that this morning."

"Excellent," Tavington replied briskly.

Martin heard the sound of boots quickly descending the stairs. Peering out of the lattice work, he saw the two officers whom Tavington had just spoken to. He recognized his old neighbour, Jim Wilkins, and was not terribly surprised to see that he'd joined the Green Dragoons, as his Tory leanings had been no secret to anyone in the community. A moment later, he heard the front door open again.

"Ah, there you are, darling." Tavington's voice had changed from businesslike ice into a seductive purr, which caused Ben Martin to give off an instinctive shudder. After hearing the unmistakable sound of kissing, he heard a feminine voice reply, "Ready when you are, William, dear. Although I'm surprised we were able to awaken in time, considering how long as you kept me awake with your lovemaking last night." A low laugh, laced with a distinct undercurrent of satisfied lust, followed her words."

Ben's jaw dropped when he recognized his sister-in-law's voice using a tone of voice she'd _never_ used with him in all the years he'd known her. He could hardly believe his ears -- she was Mistress _Tavington_? Suddenly, it all made sense and he now understood the cold note of refusal to his proposal she'd sent back with the little boy a few weeks ago.

Knowing that his sister-in-law was safe, at least for the time being, he sagged against one of the porch's support pillars, wondering how she'd ended up with Tavington. He was still concerned for her welfare, but knowing that she was in no immediate danger, he put her out of his mind. His first concern was the well-being of his children.

Once again hearing the sound of footsteps on the stairs, he leaned forward to catch a glimpse of Charlotte, dressed in a riding habit walking with her arm linked with Tavington's toward a pair of waiting horses. A plainly dressed woman, whom Ben remembered as one of Charlotte's indentured servants, trailed behind them.

He watched Tavington help Charlotte to mount her horse, raising an eyebrow to see her mounting astride. After she was settled on the horse, Ben seethed to see her look down at that barbarian Tavington with such a tender look of love in her eyes.

He'd been trying for years to persuade Charlotte to marry him, and she had put him off each time. It galled him how this haughty British officer had just breezed into her life and had seemingly instantly swept her off her feet. He'd heard that the British had finally taken Charles Town on May 12, so she couldn't have known Tavington all that long.

Martin wondered what this British dragoon had that he didn't have that appealed so to Charlotte. Money, perhaps. And if not that, it had been fairly obvious to him that Tavington came from a privileged, aristocratic background. He'd thought that Charlotte was above being impressed by such things, but apparently not.

But now was not the time to brood about such matters. He had his children to think of. From his hiding place, he watched the dragoons depart the plantation, with Tavington and Charlotte, riding side by side, leading the column. Ben remained in the hiding place for a half hour more after he watched the end of the column disappear from sight, just to be on the safe side.

After he was sure the dragoons would not return, Benjamin Martin warily crawled out of his hiding place. He needed to question the slaves about Charlotte's marriage, particularly Rufus and Magnolia, and see if it would be safe to bring the children to stay there at least for a few days. He made his way around to the back of the house where he found Rufus' son Lucius chopping some firewood.

"Mister Martin!" the young man exclaimed, unnerved by his sudden appearance. "You just missed Miss Charlotte!"

"I know, Lucius," Martin said quietly. "I just saw her ride out with the Green Dragoons. I need to know more about that, too."

Nervously scratching his head, the young man said, "You'd best talk to my father about that. It ain't my place to say nothin'."

"I understand," Ben said, a slight note of impatience in his voice. "Where could I find Rufus right now?"

"He'd be in the kitchen," Lucius reported. "He and Mama are eating their breakfasts."

"Are all the dragoons gone?" Ben asked.

"As far as I know," the young man said, shrugging.

Ben entered the kitchen carefully, alert to any possible dragoons that might have stayed behind. He found the middle-aged slave couple quite by themselves, quietly enjoying their shared breakfast.

As the farmer crept stealthily into the room, Magnolia jumped up in surprise to suddenly see Miss Charlotte's former brother-in-law standing before her.

"Mister Ben!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up.. "You gave me such a fright!"

Rufus raised one eyebrow at the white man, guessing that the timing of his arrival had been no mere coincidence. "Miss Charlotte left no more 'n a half hour ago. You just missed her."

"I know, Rufus," Ben said. "I was burned out by the British yesterday and I was bringing the children here to stay until I can rebuild." He did not tell him that he'd decided to give up his neutrality to fight the British.

"But when we got here, we found the place overrun with the very same group of dragoons who'd come to my farm yesterday," he continued. "And, then, to my complete surprise, I saw Mistress Selton riding off with them, apparently of her own free will!"

Giving the slaves a hard stare, he demanded, "What's going on?"

"Mistress Selton got married," Rufus told him carefully. "She's Mistress Tavington now. Her husband, Colonel Tavington, is bossman of all those dragoons."

"When did this happen?" Martin demanded. "Why didn't you tell me about their upcoming wedding when I was here a couple of weeks ago?"

"We don't rightly know when they got married," Magnolia put in. "And we didn't know nothin' about it until they showed up here already married a few days ago. It done surprised us as much as it surprised you."

Ben was silent for a moment as he digested that information. Charlotte had apparently married in haste, not really knowing what sort of man Tavington was. And now, unfortunately, she would repent in leisure. He could not help but wonder if Tavington had compromised her honour, thus forcing a marriage on her in order to save her good name.

"I see," he finally said. "Do you know if they'll be coming back any time soon? My children need a place to rest for a few days until I can find a better place for them to stay while I'm rebuilding, as I would hardly think that Colonel Tavington would be happy to see us living here."

"Miss Charlotte told me they were going to Fort Carolina," Magnolia said. "The Colonel doesn't think it's safe for her to live here all the time. I don't expect that we'll be seeing her for a few months at least."

Ben considered this for a long interval and concluded it was probably safe to stay here for a night or two. But no longer than that, because it was quite likely that Tavington would stop by from time to time to check on things and to use as a dragoon encampment when they were in the area.

"I'm going to go bring my children in," he informed the slaves. "We'll be staying for a few days so the children can rest, then I'll be moving them to their Aunt Sarah's." After a pause, he told Magnolia, "Make sure that a couple of bedrooms are prepared for the children and we'd also appreciate some breakfast."

Magnolia got up slowly to do the man's bidding, rolling her eyes at his high-handed ways as she did so. Ben Martin did not notice, as he was already hurrying out the door to return to where his family waited.

___

Gabriel had been impatiently standing watch the entire time his father had been gone. As he saw his father finally returning, striding openly across the lawn, he came out into the open and asked, "Well?"

"You aren't going to believe it," Ben said as he reached his son. "It seems as if your Aunt Charlotte has taken it upon herself to marry the man who killed your brother."

Gabriel's jaw dropped open in stunned shock. "Excuse me?"

"When I was under the porch, I heard your Aunt Charlotte referred to as 'Mistress Tavington'," Ben explained, spitting out her new name with scornful distaste. "And then I overheard a rather intimate conversation between her and Tavington." Pausing to take a deep breath, "The slaves didn't know much; they said they didn't know a thing about it until she arrived already married with him and the dragoons a few days ago."

Gabriel turned away from his father, unable to take it all in at once. After a long moment, he turned back to Ben and said, "I'd always thought she would have eventually married you after she'd finished grieving over Uncle John."

"I'd always thought so as well, but it seems as if she finished grieving quite quickly once she met that bastard Tavington," Ben snapped in frustration.

"What are we going to do now?" Gabriel asked. "Tavington is likely to come back this way looking once he finds out that I escaped."

"We'll just be here a night or two, then we'll move the children to my sister's home," he decided. "It's further than I want them to walk, so we'll borrow one of Charlotte's wagons."

Moving to go retrieve the rest of the children, Ben said, "Come on, let's get them inside. I have Magnolia making breakfast, as I'm sure they're ready to eat."

Gabriel followed his father, still dismayed by his news.

---------

_Thanks again to my readers. Knowing that you're waiting for new chapters keeps me writing!_

**Next chapter:** _Fort Carolina_


	15. Fort Carolina

Late that afternoon, the Green Dragoons rode into Fort Carolina after an uneventful trip through the countryside. Charlotte sighed in relief as the trees lining the road gave way to an open meadow that surrounded the fort. Fort Carolina had been established years ago during the French and Indian War around the grounds of a large former plantation.

Tavington gave his wife a sideways glance when he heard her sigh. "Tired?"

"Not too badly, but I'm glad our journey is at an end," she confided. "It will be nice to be settled for awhile."

Tavington looked up at the large brick mansion that dominated the front part of the fort. "I certainly hope our accommodations will be in there," he said. "But I don't see why they wouldn't be, considering my rank."

Charlotte was glad to see the large, luxurious home, larger than her own. She'd had visions of having to live in a tent or some rude hut. It was a sacrifice she would have willingly made to get to be with William more often, but she was quite glad she'd not be having to make that sacrifice. She brightened visibly, with great hopes that life at the fort would be pleasant, after all.

As they dismounted a few moments later in front of the mansion, Tavington noticed General O'Hara standing on the porch observing the arrival of the dragoon column. The dragoon sighed as he regarded Lord Cornwallis' sycophantic aide waiting to speak to him. He was tired from the long ride and had no desire to deal with the pompous man just now. He'd not expected the General and his entourage to have already arrived at the fort.

After turning his and Charlotte's horses over to grooms and dismissing the men for the night, he and Charlotte slowly mounted the steps to the waiting General. Ruth stayed behind to supervise two privates who were charged with bringing Mistress Tavington's belongings to her quarters.

"Ah, Tavington, there you are, finally," O'Hara said curtly. "You are to report to the Lord General as soon as you've seen your wife to your new quarters. He is most anxious to hear your report of yesterday's skirmish, plus there are new developments you need to be brought up to date on."

"Yes, sir," Tavington replied. "I had not expected the Lord General to be here quite so soon. I'd thought he'd not be here until next week "

"The Lord General wanted to be where the fighting is as soon as possible," O'Hara snapped. "He couldn't very well command effectively from Charles Town, now, could he?" Turning to walk away from the Tavingtons, he said in parting, "Just be in the General's office in forty-five minutes."

"Yes, sir," Tavington grated out.

As soon as the pompous general was out of earshot, Tavington growled, "I despise that man."

"He does seem to be a petty little martinet," Charlotte agreed. "And he did not tell us where our quarters are."

"I'll need to find the quartermaster," Tavington told her. "He'll have the room assignments."

At that moment a young officer appeared at the bottom of the brick stairs and started up toward them.

"You there!" Tavington called out to the young man. "Where may I find the quartermaster?"

"You found him," the other man asserted. "What can I do for you Colonel.?"

"I am Colonel Tavington of the Green Dragoons," he said. "And this is Mistress Tavington. We've just arrived and need to be assigned to quarters."

"If you follow me to my office, I'll have the assignment list there," the junior officer said.

A short time later, Tavington opened the door to their new quarters. It was a suite of two rooms on the second floor of the main mansion. Two privates followed, carrying Charlotte's baggage. Ruth brought up the rear, coming to help Charlotte set her new quarters to rights before retiring to the tiny room she'd been assigned to on the attic floor.

Charlotte looked around the two rooms allotted to them, quite pleased with the décor and amount of space available.

After the privates had left, she said, "I'm quite relieved to find we have such agreeable accommodations." Blushing a bit, she confided, "I must confess that I was afraid that we'd be living in a tent."

Tavington laughed, then said, "If I'd been Private Tavington, that would have been most likely so. But rank has its privileges, my dear."

Aware of Ruth waiting patiently by the door and knowing he had a meeting to attend, Tavington sighed, then said, "I suppose I'd best go see what the Lord General wants now. We'll go find some dinner after I'm done." He then picked up the leather case he'd taken from Gabriel Martin to turn over to the General, relieved that he'd not have to send it by courier to Charles Town, after all.

"Go ahead," Charlotte said, giving him a kiss on the cheek, as she walked with him to the door. "I'll be fine. Ruth and I will spend the time unpacking."

As Tavington stepped out into the hall, the next door down the corridor opened to reveal Ban Tarleton.

The younger man brightened when he saw Tavington standing in the doorway of his own quarters. "Tavington!" he called out. "Good to see you finally join the war!""

"Good to see you, too," Tavington replied. "I hear you got into a spot of bother up at the Waxhaws."

"Ah, yes," Tarleton acknowledged. "I was unhorsed during the battle, which made for a few sticky moments, but we took the field in the end. You see, my men thought I was about to be captured or killed and they were most zealous in their attack on the rebels." After a pause, he added, "We arrived back at the fort only about an hour ahead of your group."

"My dragoons got into a skirmish yesterday as well, assisting your infantry in teaching some Continentals a much-deserved lesson," Tavington reported.

"Between the two of us, we'll keep the rebels on the run, I'm sure," Tarleton said.

"I plan on it," Tavington replied with a feral smile.

Noticing Charlotte for the first time, Tarleton said, "Mistress Selton! Fancy meeting you here!" He gave Tavington a sidelong glance, silently congratulating him for acquiring such a fine mistress, He intended to get the story from Tavington on how he'd managed to do so some time when the woman in question was not around.

"It's Mistress Tavington," Tavington told him smugly. "We were married just a few days ago."

Tarleton nearly choked, but managed to school his features before doing so, giving the newlywed couple a broad smile. "Congratulations, Tavington," he finally said. "You're a lucky man." Turning to Charlotte, he said, "Let me warn you, you'll have your hands full keeping this old reprobate on the straight and narrow." Taking her hands, he added, "My very best wishes to you both."

Charlotte laughed softly. "Thank you, Colonel Tarleton. I'll be sure to keep my eye on him."

"I'll see you later, Tarleton," Tavington said. "Cornwallis has asked to see me right away."

"What a coincidence," Tarleton said. "I was on my way to see him as well. No doubt yet another frightfully dull staff meeting."

Turning to give Charlotte a last peck on the cheek, Tavington murmured, "I'll see you soon."

Once the two men had reached the end of the corridor and were about to descend the stairs, Tarleton turned to Tavington with a smirk on his face. "All I can say, Tavington, is that you certainly move fast. The last I saw of you, you were still rogering Molly."

"Speaking of Molly, how did she end up running off with you?" Tavington demanded. "I don't recall her being _that_ good in bed."

"Oh, I've already passed her on to Hanger," Tarleton said airily, with a dismissive wave of the hand. "But getting back to you; I'd never have guessed you for the marrying type. I'd been under the impression that you quite enjoyed your freedom."

"I did, immensely," Tavington confirmed. "But I'd always intended to marry at some point in the future, though I'd not actually planned on doing so until after the war at least. But when one meets the right woman, one must act so as not to lose out."

"I don't plan to marry until I'm at least fifty," Tarleton asserted. "And then to a nubile woman half my age. I intend to keep my freedom for as long as I can and bed more women than any man in the army."

Tavington chuckled knowingly. "I'd say you have a pretty good start on that, Ban."

"Ah, yes, but I'd bet that you've bedded more than your fair share as well," the other man ventured.

"That would be quite a safe bet," Tavington said with a tight grin.

The two dragoon colonels fell silent as they reached the door to Cornwallis' office, not wishing for their conversation to be overheard.

As they entered the room, they found O'Hara and Tarleton's infantry commander, Major Charles Cochrane, waiting for them, along with General Cornwallis.

Cornwallis looked up as the two dragoons entered the room. "Ah, that's everyone," he noted. "Shall we begin, gentlemen?"

After a pause, Cornwallis continued, "First of all, I'd like to congratulate Colonel Tarleton for whipping the rebels soundly at the Waxhaws. If they hadn't known we meant business before, they certainly do now."

Ban Tarleton inclined his head to acknowledge his superior's praise, suppressing the urge to grin like a schoolboy.

Turning to Tavington, Cornwallis said, "And I want to thank you, Colonel Tavington, for going so promptly to the aid of Major Cochrane and I congratulate you both for a most successful engagement with the enemy."

"Has anyone interrogated the spy I captured yet?" Tavington put in before Cornwallis could continue "I sent him back here with an infantry detachment. It was a Continental soldier I caught out of uniform not far from the battlefield with this dispatch case."

Cornwallis and O'Hara exchanged glances as Tavington handed his commanding officer the dispatch case.

"Colonel Tavington, that detachment was ambushed by rebels," Cornwallis informed him quietly. "Every man in the detachment, save one, was killed, There were no prisoners with the group by the time Major Cochrane and the rest of his men found the detachment."

"I…see," Tavington replied, stunned. "May I question the survivor?"

"Once he wakes up, yes, of course," Cornwallis responded. "We are all most eager to hear what he can tell us." After a pause, he continued, "What can you tell us about the spy? Where did you capture him?"

"I found him at his family's farm, when I was checking the area for stragglers after the battle," Tavington reported. "The farmer, his father, was tending to both our wounded and Continental wounded. The spy was out of uniform and both he and his father attempted to conceal their relationship. My men found the dispatch case during a search of the house, and the spy eventually admitted that he'd carried them. There was a bit of a fracas when I took him into custody, but order had been restored by the time I turned the spy over to the detachment and rode on to continue looking for stragglers."

"I see," Cornwallis said. "Do you think it is possible that the soldier's father was the one responsible for the ambush?"

"I would say so, yes," Tavington said. "From what Captain Wilkins has told me, most of the people in that area have rebel sympathies, and it's quite likely he could have quickly organized a group of his neighbours to conduct the ambush. Once I'm able to question the survivor, I think I'll have a better picture as to who did it."

Putting his hands on Cornwallis' desk and leaning close, he quietly vowed, "But I promise you this, General. Once I discover who did this, I will not rest until that man has been made to pay."

Cornwallis looked up into the cold blue eyes of his subordinate and was suddenly very glad that he was not the man whom Tavington would be hunting.

The meeting ended a short time later, after the Lord General had covered several routine matters.

As Tavington and Ban Tarleton left the office, the younger man turned to Tavington and asked, "After dinner, I'm planning to go down to the tents to find some female company for the evening. Are you sure I can't persuade you to come with me?" After a pause, he coaxed, "Fort Carolina has a fine selections of willing ladies, I assure you."

Tavington laughed at the other officer's one-track mind. "Less than a week after my wedding?" he said, still chuckling. "I don't think so, Banastre. I have a warm and willing woman waiting for me right in my own quarters." Laughing again, he said, "But don't let me stop you. You'll certainly have more to choose from if I'm not around."

"All right, Tavington," Tarleton responded. "But I'll be sure to let you know what you missed tomorrow."

"I'll see you later, Ban," Tavington said, still chuckling. "Charlotte is waiting."

-------

**Author's Note**: _As you might have guessed from the context, "rogering" was 18th century slang for having sex, corresponding to our current expression, "screwing"._

_In real life, Banastre Tarleton did marry later in life He wasn't quite fifty, but he did marry a woman half his age. At the age of 44, he married the 22 year old Susan Priscilla Bertie, after concluding a fifteen year relationship with actress and author Mary Robinson. The marriage was a successful one, ending at his death at age 78._

**Next Chapter**: _A Disturbing Revelation  
_


	16. A Disturbing Revelation

Several days later, Charlotte Tavington was slowly adjusting to life in a busy Army fort. Having lived alone for the last several years, she was unused to living among so many people, but she was handling the change much better than she thought she would.

She and William had eaten dinner with General Cornwallis on the evening they'd arrived, as Lord General had kindly invited them to dine when he'd heard that William had brought her along to the fort. Cornwallis had proven to be a gracious and attentive host, regaling her with tales about his recently deceased wife, Jemima, and their two children. General O'Hara, Colonel Tarleton, and Captains Bordon and Wilkins had joined them, and it had proven to be a most enjoyable evening.

The evening had ended quite pleasantly, as she and William had excused themselves early and had spent the remainder of the evening "christening' their new bed and she'd fallen asleep that night entirely contented.

In the days since, Charlotte had decorated their quarters enough to make it feel like home. Once she had finished with that, she and Ruth spent hours exploring every inch of the camp to get to know their new home while William was on duty. She'd met a few wives of other officers and while they were all nice enough, there were none she had much in common with.

This morning, Charlotte had awakened to find William lying half on top of her, lifting her shift. In the short time they'd been married, she discovered that her new husband was a nearly insatiable lover. But she did not mind, as she'd spent several lonely, celibate years and now felt as if she was making up for lost time. Since being with William, she'd felt fifteen years younger.

They'd made love, quickly and wordlessly, as Tavington had to report for duty within a short time.

As he reached completion and rolled off her, he murmured, "I can't think of a better way to start my day than to take you into my arms. After lying with you, I can even face General O"Hara with a smile."

Charlotte laughed softly, knowing how much William detested the man.

"I hate to leave you, my dear, as there's nothing more I'd like to do than lie in bed with you all day long," he told her a few minutes later as he stood at the mirror braiding his hair. "But duty calls, I'm afraid."

"You're going to be at the fort all day today, correct" she asked.

"Yes, I expect so," he replied. "I must go to the infirmary to speak with a recovering soldier who may have useful information for me, and then in the afternoon, I will be conducting some training exercises with the men."

"Wonderful," she said happily. "I hope we'll be able eat together at noon?"

"I don't see why not," he said smiling. "We might even be able to come back up here for some private time together after lunch, as Bordon is quite capable of starting off the training exercises on his own."

Charlotte gave him a seductive grin, knowing exactly what he mean by "private time".

A little more than an hour later, after he and Charlotte had finished breakfast, Tavington headed to the fort hospital to see if the doctor would now allow him to question the sole surviving soldier from the ambush.

As he entered the hospital, he found Dr Campbell checking the soldier in question, who was now sitting up in bed, which was on the opposite side of the room.

"Dr Campbell!" Tavington called out imperiously as he strode across the room. "It would seem as if your patient is now sufficiently fit for questioning."

The veteran physician sighed as he turned to acknowledge the impatient dragoon leader. "You may speak with him for a few minutes, Colonel," he conceded grudgingly. "But he's been through a lot and still has quite a ways to go before he is fully recovered, so I don't want you to tire him out."

"This shouldn't take all that long," Tavington assured him. "I just need to ask him a few questions."

After the doctor had moved off, the dragoon pulled up a chair to the soldier's bedside. "Relax, Private…" Tavington began.

"Jones, sir," the young soldier supplied.

"Private Jones," the older man repeated. "I just need to ask you a few questions about the ambush."

"I don't remember much, sir," the ailing soldier said weakly.

"Any detail you might recall might prove useful to catch the ones who killed your fellow soldiers," Tavington prodded. "Just tell me what you _do_ remember and try to recall what your attackers looked like and how many there were."

A few minutes later, after the infantryman had told him what he could remember, Tavington was convinced that it had to have been the farmer who had come to rescue his son himself. Tavington still did not know who had helped him, as the private had insisted that he only saw the one man. This made little sense to Tavington, especially when the man had insisted that their attacker had been "like a ghost". But at least he now had a place to start.

Getting up from the soldier's bedside, he said, "Thank you, Private Jones. Now get some rest."

There was still a good bit of time before lunch, so he decided to go find Wilkins to see if he might know the farmer's identity. He now wished he'd taken Wilkins along with him the day of the skirmish.

He found his junior officer a few minutes later, spotting the man coming from the direction of the camp followers' tents, whistling a happy tune as he neared his commanding officer. Tavington grinned to himself, correctly guessing that the Loyalist officer had just had an assignation with one of the camp doxies, if the contented look on his face was any indication. The dragoon knew that the Lord General would prefer to ban such women from the fort, but Tavington was all for anything which would improve the morale of his men, knowing this would make them more effective soldiers.

As Wilkins came within hearing distance, Tavington called out, "Captain, I need to confer with you to see if you can help me clear up a matter." After a pause, he added, "Why don't we go to my office?"

Tavington had been assigned a small closet-sized office in the main mansion the day after he'd arrived, but it would be sufficient for his needs.

"Of course, Colonel," Wilkins replied, good-naturedly. "I'll be glad to help in any way that I can." After a pause, he added, "Do you need Captain Bordon, too? I believe he's still down with the camp followers if you want me to go back and roust him out of bed with whichever doxy he spent the night with."

"That won't be necessary," Tavington said, chuckling at both his adjutants' healthy libidos. "We'll leave Captain Bordon to his pleasure, as I need to confer with you about the local residents."

A short time later, the men entered the Colonel's office, after Tavington told a passing servant to bring in a pot of tea.

"I need to ask you some questions in relation to the ambush on the infantry detachment the other day," Tavington began. "I just questioned the lone survivor and he gave me enough information that I believe that I've identified one of the assailants, who is most likely the ringleader."

"Sir?" Wilkins was baffled, considering that he'd spent the day at Charlotte's plantation.

"From what the private said, I'm guessing the attacker was the farmer from the farm we fired near the battlefield," Tavington elaborated. "We'd taken his son into custody for espionage and I'd had to kill his other son for shooting at some of the foot soldiers, so it's logical to assume that revenge was the motivation for this attack."

"I see," Wilkins said, frowning in concentration.

"I didn't get the man's name at the time, so if I describe him and his farm to you, you might know who he is," Tavington explained.

Not waiting for Wilkins' reply, Tavington continued, "I'd say the farm was about a mile from the battlefield and roughly seven miles from my wife's plantation. It was a fairly good-sized home: white clapboard with a large porch. I'd say it had perhaps four rooms upstairs and four below."

After pausing to take a deep breath, the dragoon went on, "The farmer was in his early to middle forties, colouring similar to my own, and somewhat below middle height, though taller than Colonel Tarleton. There were seven or eight children, ranging in age from about four years old to a young man of 20 or so, who was the Continental spy."

"I think I know who it was," Wilkins said slowly. "And I'm afraid you'll not like what I have to tell you at all."

"Please elaborate, Captain."

"From what you've described, I'm almost certain the man's name is Benjamin Martin," Wilkins told him. After a pause, he added quietly, "And he is Mistress Tavington's former brother-in-law."

"Are you certain?" Tavington demanded. "I heard the farmer call his oldest son 'Gabriel', and the teen boy I had to shoot was called 'Thomas'."

"I'm quite certain," Wilkins said seriously. "Those are indeed the names of two of Martin's sons."

"Damn," Tavington swore. Turning away from Wilkins for a long moment, he stood to look out the window. He did not regret what he'd had to do that day, but sincerely wished that it had not been Charlotte's family.

Suddenly turning back to the junior officer, he said, "If you will excuse me, Captain, I must find Mistress Tavington. It seems as if she and I need to have a talk."

"Yes, sir," Wilkins said, not envying his commanding officer at this particular moment.

A short time later, Tavington found his wife in the main mansion's morning room having tea with a few of the other officers' wives.

Charlotte happened to look up as he appeared in the doorway. She took tell from the expression on his face that he had something serious on his mind. Excusing herself quietly from the other women, she went to greet her husband.

"What's wrong?" she murmured as they stepped out into the hall. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

"Let's go back to our rooms," he said. "There's something we need to discuss."

Charlotte frowned, wondering what it was that he could not wait until the noon meal. She did not comment, but merely followed William up the stairs to their suite.

"Sit down, love," Tavington told her after he'd closed the door to their rooms. He waited until she'd settled herself on the sofa, then took a seat beside her."

Taking her hand, he began, "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you." Not waiting for her response, he continued, "I was conferring with Captain Wilkins this morning in order to gain more information about something that happened the other day after the battle. Normally I would not trouble you with such matters, but what he told me concerns you."

Heaving a gusty sigh, he said, "I don't quite know where to begin…"

"It's all right, William," she said gently. "Just take your time."

"All right, then," he replied. "It's going to be a bit of a long story, I'm afraid." Knowing there was nothing for it, he launched into his story.

"The matter I was conferring with Captain Wilkins about was a massacre that was perpetrated on a detachment of infantry soldiers to whom I'd entrusted a spy I'd captured shortly after the battle," Tavington told her. "The soldier in the infirmary whom I saw this morning was the only survivor of the massacre. I went to see him in the hope that he could give me some clues as to who attacked the soldiers,"

Charlotte did not speak, but merely waited patiently for him to continue.

"I had my suspicions as to who orchestrated the attack, and what the soldier told me only confirmed my suspicions," he went on. "You see, after the battle, when my men and I were combing the area for stragglers, we came upon a farmhouse, where wounded soldiers were being cared for."

Taking a deep breath, Tavington continued, "I sensed something wasn't right almost as soon as we rode up, as the farmer and his oldest son were quite nervous. To make a long story short, incriminating papers were found in the home and it turned out that the farmer's son was a spy. I had him taken into custody to stand trial for treason back at Fort Carolina. Before we could leave, however, the farmer's other son, started a diversion. He grabbed a pistol from one of my men and tried to kill the men who were about to lead the spy away."

Sighing again, he admitted, "I ended up having to kill the second son to regain control of the situation. It was quite unfortunate, as he wasn't quite a man yet. But it was necessary, as many others could have been hurt, including the other children, if I'd not immediately intervened."

Charlotte felt a sudden fear grip her and fervently hoped that her husband wasn't about to tell her what she thought he was going to tell her.

"I consulted Captain Wilkins because he is from this area and with the details Private Jones gave me, I thought that the captain might be able to provide me with a name." After a significant pause, he added softly, "He was indeed able to tell me who it was."

Tavington looked deeply into his wife's eyes and said, "It was your brother-in-law, Benjamin Martin. Captain Wilkins confirmed it. And it was your nephew, Thomas, whom I had to shoot."

"Oh, William!" Charlotte cried, as Tavington confirmed her worst fears. She allowed him to take her into his arms, as she cried for her nephew, whose short life had been so tragically cut short.

Tavington held her wordlessly, rubbing her back as she mourned Thomas. "Shh," he murmured. "Let it all out." Tavington did not regret the actions he'd taken on the Martin farm, but he hated to see his beloved wife in pain.

After a few minutes, Charlotte lifted her head from Tavington's shoulder to look straight into his eyes. Taking his face in her hands, she murmured, "I don't blame you, love. You had no idea who they were. I've hesitated talking about my sister's family with you because my brother-in-law had been so annoyingly persistent in trying to get me to marry him after John died. It was an embarrassment to me."

Tavington did not speak for a long moment, but merely took her lips in a gentle kiss. "It's not your fault, Charlotte," he finally told her. "You did not cause them to act in a foolhardy manner."

"You're right, William," she conceded. "Thomas always had a reckless streak to him; he was very much like his father.' After a long pause, she said, "Still, I cannot help but wonder how things might have been different if I'd discussed my sister's family with you."

"You mustn't brood about it," Tavington told her, patting her hand. "What is done, is done. We cannot change the past."

"What about Gabriel?" she asked. "What happened to him?"

"From what I can piece together, his father led the attack on the infantry detachment and he escaped then," Tavington said. "There was no sign of him when the rest of Tarleton's infantry came upon what was left of the detachment."

"What will happen now?" Charlotte asked nervously.

"Your brother-in-law and nephew are guilty of treason," he told her quietly. "It is my duty to bring them both to justice. This is why it was so important for me to question the surviving soldier and Captain Wilkins. I'm sorry that your family has made such unfortunate choices, but I cannot allow your connection with them to deter me from my duty."

"I understand," Charlotte said, putting a gentle hand on his arm. "I wouldn't expect you to do any different. But it's the children I'm worried about. Ben has always been so hot-headed -- I wonder if he even thought of his little ones when he went after Gabriel."

"War is a terrible business," Tavington agreed. "But I intend to do my duty to the utmost so I can help to end it as soon as is humanly possible."

Rising from the sofa, he took Charlotte's hand and led her to the bed. After easing her down onto the mattress, he murmured, "Let me help you to take your mind off things for awhile."

Charlotte did not answer, but simply lost herself in her husband's passionate embrace.

-----

**Author's Note:** _Thanks to my readers and reviewers for sticking with this story. It keeps me writing knowing there are people waiting for new chapters._

_Cornwallis lost his beloved wife, Jemima, in 1779, and was able to travel back to England to be with her in her last days before returning to be in command of the Southern Campaign._

**Next chapter**_: On the Trail of a Fox_


	17. On the Trail of a Fox

Early the next morning, Tavington took his dragoons out in the field to start looking for Benjamin Martin and son, Gabriel. He'd decided to backtrack to the plantation, as Charlotte had told him it was quite possible that Martin would head there to seek shelter for his children. The dragoon also intended to revisit the Martin farm, in the odd chance that the rebel colonist had stupidly decided to rebuild on the same site.

As the dragoon column moved rapidly through the countryside, Tavington turned to Wilkins, whom he'd ordered to ride beside him, and asked, "Captain, what can you tell me about Benjamin Martin?" Not waiting for the other man to reply, he added, "How well do you know him?"

"Well, I've known him as long as I've known Charlotte," the dragoon replied. "He's a few years older than me, but he grew up in the same area and our fathers were well acquainted. We've never been particularly close, but we'd always had a lot of respect for each other."

"Do you think him capable of leading a group of partisans?" Tavington asked "And which of your neighbours do you think he'd choose for it?"

"Yes, I'd say he's quite capable of leading a partisan militia," Wilkins assured him. "He was a captain during the French and Indian war and he has quite a reputation in these parts. He participated in some of the bloodiest and most gruesome fighting of that war. Some of the men he served with still live in the general area and I know they'd follow him again at a moment's notice. Most of them are tough backwoods types and would make dangerous opponents. Not a gentleman among them."

"Is Martin himself a 'backwoods' type," Tavington queried. "I can't imagine that any sister of Charlotte's would marry such a man."

"No, sir," Wilkins told him. "His family didn't travel in quite the same circles as my family and the Putnams, but the Martins are by no means backwoodsmen. They're respectable gentry, though Benjamin did not get the chance to go to England for his education." After a pause, he added, "But I'd not underestimate him, sir. He's quite clever, despite his lack of sufficient formal education."

"I don't intend to, Captain," Tavington assured him firmly. "But I intend to track him down like a fox."

Wilkins swallowed a lump that had suddenly filled his throat. He did not envy Benjamin Martin once Tavington had caught up with him.

About an hour later, the dragoons rode up to what was left of the Martin farm, which gave every sign of being deserted. The remains of the farmhouse still gave off a strong odour of charred wood and there were no signs of even clearing away any of the burned lumber, let alone attempts at rebuilding.

"Let's take a look around," Tavington decided after dismounting near the ruined home. "Martin might have left some clues as to where they were going."

Captains Bordon and Wilkins accompanied the Colonel as he walked around the grounds behind the house. Lt. Ogilvie led a group of men to hunt for clues near the edges of the property. Most of the other dragoons took the horses to be watered down at the creek.

The three dragoon officers walked toward the remains of the barn, which had also been torched during their raid. Wilkins and Bordon poked around the remains, as Tavington stood by, watching. His eyes fell on the family cemetery, which was near a grove of trees between the ruined structures of the house and barn.

As his two subordinates continued to sift through the debris, Tavington wandered down to the cemetery. Looking through the wrought iron fence, he noticed a freshly dug grave, no doubt that of the boy he'd had to kill. As he moved closer, he noticed the plain wooden cross that marked the grave.

Gazing down intently at the grave, he whispered to himself, "Stupid boy!" As he continued to stare at the freshly turned soil, he couldn't help but think of how all this could have been avoided if Benjamin Martin had not so foolishly put the lives of his children in danger by allowing his traitor son to stay in the home. And if the misguided Martin had taught his children anything about loyalty, he would have perhaps had Charlotte's oldest nephew riding along with him as a dragoon, rather than being hunted down as a traitor.

"Colonel Tavington!" Tavington's ruminations were suddenly interrupted by his second-in-command, who was striding briskly toward him.

Turning away from the grave with nary a backward glance, he said, "What is it, Bordon? Did you find something?"

"Yes, sir," the other man affirmed. " Behind the wreckage of the barn, we found the door to Martin's root cellar that we missed on our previous visit here."

"And?" Tavington prodded.

"It was obvious that someone had been down there recently and removed quite a few items," Bordon explained as they reached the open trap door to the cellar.

They met Wilkins coming up the cellar steps, gingerly holding a broken jar that oozed fermented peaches. Looking up at Tavington as he ascended the steps, he said firmly, "I think they're gone, Colonel."

"What makes you so certain?" Tavington asked.

"I've known Ben Martin for a long time," Wilkins began. "He's always been quite meticulous with his belongings and has always kept a neat, fully stocked cellar. When I went down there just now, I found very little food, and what was left had been knocked over, broken, and ripped open. It looked as if goats had been down there. It appears to me that the Martins must have left in a hurry and quickly grabbed whatever they could carry. I'm guessing they probably left the same night their house was burned."

Tavington stood for a long moment considering Wilkins' words, then mentally went over what Charlotte had told him about her former brother in law. She'd been of the opinion that he'd likely try to bring the children to her home, rather than try to rebuild right away.

Before he could reply to Wilkins, Lt. Ogilvie came hurrying toward the three senior officers.

As Tavington gave the junior officer an expectant look, Ogilvie said, "Colonel, I think I've found which way they went." After pausing to take a deep breath, he elaborated, "I found quite a number of fresh footprints in a muddy area on the southern edge of the property. Most of the footprints were child-sized."

"Tell the men to mount up, Ogilvie," Tavington said. "We're headed to the plantation."

As the dragoon group neared the plantation some time later, Tavington called for a brief rest period. He'd decided to send a few scouts ahead to reconnoiter to see if Martin and his family were in residence.

Tavington wanted to avoid a skirmish at his new marital home if at all possible and secretly hoped that Martin was not on the premises, And if Martin was there and a confrontation could not be avoided, he wanted to have the element of surprise in order to have the upper hand to take out his enemy quickly.

Within a reasonably short time, the scouts had returned, hurrying to where Tavington stood under a tree after they'd emerged from the woods.

"Well?" Tavington said after the men had dismounted. He was eager to get on with it.

"There was no sign that Martin or his family were there, sir," Sergeant Tomlinson reported. "We surveyed the property from all possible angles while still remaining concealed and saw only those who belonged there. We saw no children other than slave children."

"Excellent," Tavington said, glad not to have to confront Martin at the plantation.

Turning to his two adjutants, he said, "I'll still need to question the house slaves in case Martin has been here at some point. We'll spend the night at the plantation and get a fresh start in the morning." Turning to mount his horse, he ordered, "Let's go, gentlemen."

The dragoon column thundered up the lane to the plantation a short while later, finding nothing out of the ordinary as they drew to a halt in front of the mansion. After ordering the men to make camp for the night, he hurried up the steps to the house, followed by Bordon and Wilkins.

Rufus met him at the door, unsurprised to see his new master back so soon. After Benjamin Martin had turned up on the doorstep and told his tale of woe, the slave knew that it would be only a matter of time before Tavington would come looking for him.

"You got here just in time, Colonel," Rufus said. "Magnolia is just about finished cooking supper."

"Excellent," Tavington replied. "There will be three for dinner in the dining room."

"Is Miss Charlotte with you?" the slave inquired.

"No, Rufus," Tavington told him. "I'm here on business. In fact, I'll need to speak to you and Magnolia directly after dinner."

"Yes, sir," Rufus replied. "We'll be in the kitchen waiting until you're ready for us."

Immediately after the slave had left the room to go check on dinner, Tavington spoke to Wilkins. "Captain, as soon as I determine whether or not Martin was here, I want you to go out and ask the overseer, Stanton, to see what he knows. If Martin has been here, he might have told him something we could use."

Twenty minutes later, Tavington stood up from the dinner table. Turning to the slave girl, Pansy, who had come into the dining room to clear the dishes, he said, "Tell Rufus and Magnolia to meet me in the study right away."

"Yes, suh," the young girl murmured, eyes downcast. "Right away, suh."

Tavington headed straight to a wooden cabinet near a window that overlooked the front lawn as soon as he entered the commodious study a couple of moments later. Reaching inside, he brought out a large bottle of brandy, along with three small goblets. Holding up the bottle, he asked, "Brandy, gentlemen?"

Both men nodded and after pouring them each a portion, the dragoon leader seated himself behind the heavy oak desk that had once belonged to Charlotte's first husband. Wilkins and Bordon each took seats near the window.

No sooner had the three dragoons settled themselves comfortably than a soft knock came at the door.

"Come in!" Tavington barked.

"You wanted to see us, sir?" Rufus asked as he and his wife stood hesitantly in the doorway.'

"I just have a few questions," Tavington told them smoothly. Attempting to put the anxious slave couple at ease, he continued. "It won't take long."

Pausing to take a sip of his brandy, the dragoon looked up sharply at the slaves and asked, "I need to know if Benjamin Martin has been here since Mistress Tavington and I left for Fort Carolina."

Rufus and Magnolia exchanged nervous wide eyed glances. After swallowing a lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, Rufus finally answered, "Yes, sir. He turned up here no more 'n a half hour after you left. He frightened us nearly to death, he did."

"We was just sittin' in the kitchen having our breakfasts after you left and he done snuck up on us like a prowler," Magnolia added.

"That's very interesting," Tavington said, steepling his fingers as he pondered what they'd told him. No doubt Martin had been watching, waiting for the dragoons to leave before making an appearance. He gestured to Wilkins, who got up to go find the overseer.

"What did he want?" Tavington pressed, once Wilkins had left the room. "And how long did he stay?"

"He wanted a place for his children to rest for a few days," Rufus explained. "I'm thinking he wanted them to move in for good, but then he saw you with Miss Charlotte. He come in here askin' what was goin' on and we had to tell him that she was married to you."

"And how did he react when you told him that," Tavington asked, chucking, wishing he could have been a fly on the wall at that particular moment.

"Oh, he didn't like that one bit, no sir," Magnolia put in, giving Tavington a conspiratorial grin. "He turned as red as a beet until I thought he was fixin' to have a fit."

Tavington laughed out loud at this, with Bordon joining in.

"Did he, now?" Tavington asked, unable to hide his mirth.

"Oh, he was right disappointed, that's for sure," Rufus recalled, shaking his head slowly. "He's always been kind of sweet on Miss Charlotte and wanted to marry her himself."

"Too bad for him, then," The dragoon said insincerely, laughing yet again at the hapless rebel's plight.

Now serious once more, Tavington turned back to Rufus. "When did he leave?" he demanded. "And did he say where he was going?"

"Mister Martin knew you'd probably come back this way lookin' for him and that oldest boy of his," Rufus reported. "So they moved the rest of the family out of here early yesterday morning'. He said something about takin' them to an Aunt Sarah's, I think."

"He didn't happen to mention where this Aunt Sarah lived, did he?" Tavington queried.

"No, sir, I'm sorry," Rufus told the dragoon. "But I heard him talkin' to young Mister Gabriel before they left and I don't think they're going to stay there with the young ones. He said something about the two of them goin' 'round to see if they could get enough men to start their own militia. Mister Ben said he'd go visitin' some of the men he'd fought the French and the Indians with and Mister Gabriel said they should also go see some of their friends in Pembroke."

"Thank you very much, Rufus," Tavington said, now smiling broadly. "You've been very helpful."

Shortly after the two slaves had left, Wilkins returned. After he'd told Tavington essentially the same things that Rufus and Magnolia had, Tavington said, "Now I have evidence to present to the Lord General that Benjamin Martin is starting a new resistance group in this area. We'll head back to the fort first thing in the morning, as I see no point in trying to locate this Aunt Sarah at the present time. It's more important that Cornwallis gets this information right away so we can begin chasing this particular fox."

* * *

_**Next Chapter:** Martin Recruits a Militia_


	18. Martin Recruits a Militia

_Sorry this is an all-Martin chapter, but I promise we'll return to our handsome dragoon's doings in the next chapter!_

* * *

After a few hours of hard riding, Benjamin Martin and his son, Gabriel, approached a large log structure at the junction of two roads. Several horses and a couple of wagons were tied outside near it.

Ben had thought of his children throughout much of the long journey, reluctant at having to leave them in the care of his elder sister so soon after their brother's death. But it could not be helped. Tavington was a malevolent presence upon the land and he had to be stopped for the sake of his children's future. Martin knew he'd been woefully naïve to think he could just ignore the war raging all around him and go on with his life as if nothing was happening. He now knew that as a man with practical fighting experience, it was his duty to go to war to defend his family, his home, and his neighbours from marauding predators such as William Tavington and his dragoons.

As they reached the log building, Gabriel interrupted Ben's ruminations. "Is this the place you were talking about?" Ben had told his son earlier that they might find some of the men he'd served with in the French and Indian War at a place called Wilson's Tavern, which was on the road to Ninety-Six.

"Yes, this is the place," Ben affirmed. "And it looks as if plenty of people are here, too."

As he and Gabriel tied their horses to two unoccupied trees, he noticed a slatternly looking woman sitting under a tree, watching four young children splashing in the creek behind the tavern. She looked vaguely familiar to him, but he couldn't quite place her and he assumed that she was no doubt waiting for her man to come out of the tavern.

Not giving the woman another thought, he and Gabriel entered the tavern, which was dank with the odour of unwashed bodies and tobacco smoke. Gabriel looked around the room with distaste as he and his father made their way over to the bar, narrowing missing being hit when a nearby backwoodsman spit a stream of tobacco juice in his general direction.

"I can't believe my eyes!" A tall, homely man with dishwater coloured hair and scraggly teeth came up to Benjamin Martin and clapped him on the back. "Look, boys, it's Captain Martin!" Taking notice of Gabriel for the first time, he exclaimed. "And this can't be little Gabriel. Why, the last time I saw you, you weren't no bigger 'n a possum!"

"John Billings!" Ben Martin greeted the taller man with a big smile, sticking his hand out for the big man to shake. "Just the man I wanted to see!"

After Gabriel had bought two drinks, Ben said in a lower tone of voice, "Anybody here tonight from the old days? There's some things I think all of you ought to know about."

Billings pointed to the back corner, where a half drunk man sat drinking straight out of a bottle. The small man's face was badly scarred and combined with beady eyes and hollow cheeks, it gave him a distinctly rat-like appearance. "There's Rollins. He comes here most nights, along with several others from the war."

Martin looked around the room, noticing others he'd served with as well. "Good. Let's join Rollins in the back where we can talk."

A moment later, Ben and Gabriel had settled around the long table, along with Billings, Rollins, and several other men.

"I'm glad to find so many of you here," Ben began. "It will make my job that much easier. It's a bit of a long story, so bear with me."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "About a week ago, there was a skirmish near my house. Gabriel, who's with Burwell's Continentals, had spent the night, as he'd been sent off on a courier mission. We did what we could to doctor the wounded on both sides. Not long after the battle, the British Green Dragoons showed up."

Martin paused for a long moment to collect himself before continuing. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he pushed on. "I could tell their leader was bent on destruction from the moment he rode up -- he was just looking for an excuse. He had his men search the house where they, of course, found the dispatch case. Gabriel had taken off his regimental coat so he'd not get it dirty while helping me tend to the wounded, Tavington -- the dragoon commander -- took that as proof that Gabriel was a spy and immediately took him into custody."

Stopping again briefly to bring himself under control, he said, "And then that bastard shot my second son, Thomas, down like a dog. He was only fifteen." He conveniently did not mention what Thomas had done to provoke the dragoon leader. "Before leaving, he fired my house and barn, took all my horses, and destroyed much of what was left."

Brushing a strand of hair back behind his ear, he looked intently at each one of the men in turn and declared, "When all of this began, I'd though I could just mind my own business, not get involved, and just wait it out. I was wrong. You have to take a stand and fight for what's right. I came here today to see how many of you would join me. What happened to me could happen to any one of you, if it hasn't already. And it's not only Tavington's dragoons out there, as I suppose that most of you have heard by now about the massacre of Abe Buford's men at the Waxhaws by Tarleton's Legion."

"He's right," Rollins put in. "Those same bastards stopped at my sister's farm and did the same to her. Hanged my brother-in-law, burned her house down, and set her slaves loose."

Looking at Benjamin Martin with narrowed eyes, he said coldly. "I'm takin' my woman and my sister and her youngins to stay in Pembroke. But after I see them settled, I aim to join you and kill me some of them lobsterbacks. It'll be just like the old days when we taught them no-good Indians and them meddlin' Frenchies a good lesson. We won't show those redcoats and their Tory friends any more mercy than we showed back then."

Turning to give the other men a hard gaze, Rollins demanded, "Well? Are the rest of you with me?"

"Count me in," Billings said. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect my wife and my boy."

Several other men decided to join up and by the time Ben and Gabriel got back on the road to Pembroke the next morning, they had ten men accompanying them. Rollins promised to catch up to them later, as he'd be travelling at a slower pace with a wagon carrying women and children.

As the group neared Pembroke, about three miles from the village, Ben called for a rest stop adjacent to a concealed path into the woods.

"You may be wondering why I wanted to stop here," he began as the men gathered around him. Walking a few steps, he revealed the hidden pathway, then continued, "If you follow this path, it will take you to Black Swamp. There's a spot of land there that will make a good campsite and base for our operations. I need for all of you to go there and set up camp, until Gabriel and I can bring out the fresh recruits from Pembroke. You'll be safe there if any British patrols happen to come anywhere near Pembroke." After a pause, he added, "I'll be bringing out as many supplies as I can come up with in town."

A short time later, as Ben and Gabriel were once again on their way into Pembroke, Gabriel noted, "It's a good thing that it's Sunday -- everyone will be in church and we can get to them all at once."

"You're right," his father agreed. "The sooner I can get everyone organized and outfitted, the happier I'll be. Tavington and Tarleton aren't going to waste any time and neither should we." After a pause, he added, "I'm hoping that Peter Howard will help to outfit us and give us a discount on things we buy from him.":

Gabriel smiled to himself at the mention of Peter Howard, as this reminded him of Mr Howard's daughter, Anne. Gabriel had been sweet on Anne for several years and looked forward to seeing her again. As the two men rode the final mile into town, Gabriel thought it might be a good time to announce his intentions to formally court Anne to her parents.

Upon entering town, the two men headed directly for the church, where services were still going on. After tying their horses to a tree, Gabriel hesitated at the door. "Do you think we ought to go inside now? It sounds as if Reverend Oliver is still giving his sermon."

"It can't be helped," Ben decided. "If we wait until the reverend is finished, we might not get everyone's attention, as most of them will be eager to get home for supper. You know how long-winded Reverend Oliver tends to be."

Gabriel chuckled, knowing the truth of his father's words, as he followed him up the steps.

The door opened with a loud squeal, calling everyone's attention to them. Heads turned as the two men removed their hats upon entering the sanctuary.

Ben stepped forward to address the irritated minister who glared at both men, eyebrows raised at the interruption.

"Forgive us, Reverend," Ben said quietly, "But we have a matter of the utmost importance to discuss with the entire town that cannot wait."

Oliver heaved a theatrical sigh, then growled, "By all means. I was just about done here, anyway."

"Thank you, Reverend," Ben said as he moved to take the podium from the older man. Turning to the congregation, he began, "Like many of you, I thought I could just live my life as I always have and ignore the war going on around me, I thought that if I minded my own business that the war would pass me by."

Sweeping his gaze across the entire congregation, he continued, "But I was wrong. I can't stick my head in the sand and pretend there's not a war happening. None of us can. We all must take a side and fight for our homes and families."

After a long pause, he added, "Just the other day, the Green Dragoons came to my farm and changed my life forever. They burned my farm, stole my horses, and took Gabriel into custody as a spy, intending to hang him once they got him back to the fort. And if this wasn't bad enough, their leader, Tavington, shot and killed my fifteen year old son, Thomas, just because he got in the way."

Taking a deep breath, he said, "As you can see, I managed to rescue Gabriel -- I won't bore you with the details of how -- but Thomas is gone forever."

"And if you think this was an isolated incident and couldn't happen to you, I spoke to a man yesterday whose brother-in-law was killed when Tavington's dragoons visited his farm a few days before mine."

Seeing he was having the desired effect, Martin pressed on. "And it's not just Tavington's dragoons we have to worry about. A few days ago, there was a battle between Abe Buford's men and Tarleton's Legion up at the Waxhaws. Buford tried to surrender, but Tarleton did not give them any quarter. Men holding white flags were cut down where they stood. If that's how the British intend to fight this war, then we can't depend on the Continentals to protect us. We'll have to protect ourselves and assist the Continentals as much as we can."

Looking over to where Peter Howard sat with his family, Martin concluded, "That's about all I have to say. I need to talk to Mr Howard privately for a few minutes, so I'll leave you to discuss what I've said among yourselves. Don't tarry in making your decisions, however, as I need volunteers right away. I intend to head out tonight to meet up with other men I've already recruited."

Gesturing to Howard to follow him outside as he stepped from the podium, Martin quickly left the sanctuary amidst the murmuring of conversation as the men talked among themselves. He noticed that Gabriel had already begun to engage Peter's pretty young daughter, Anne, in conversation in the back of the church by a window.

A few moments later, Ben Martin stood outside the church under an overcast sky as Howard opened the door to join him.

"It would seem as if our children have taken a great liking to one another," Howard remarked after he'd closed the heavy church door behind him. "But I believe that Gabriel has always been especially fond of Anne."

"I'm surprised she still wants anything to do with him after he put that ink in her tea," Martin chuckled. "She either has the patience of a saint or she's truly in love."

The other man laughed, then said, "I think they'll make a fine couple, actually."

"So, you approve of him courting her, then?" Ben asked. "He'd planned to ask you formally before we left tonight."

"He'll have my blessing," the other man said quietly. After a moment, he said, "About the business at hand, you know I'd join with you in a minute if I could." He looked down, gesturing helplessly at his wooden leg. "But I'm afraid I gave all I had to give in the last war."

"There is still a way you can be of great help, however," Ben said. "I asked you out here to find out if you could see your way clear to offer me and my men any sort of discount on the supplies we'll be needing: guns, ammunition, food, camping supplies, saddles, horse feed, and so on."

"I can do even better than that," Howard said, looking intently at the other man. "I'll donate as much as I can and what I can't donate, I'll let you have at cost. It's the least I can do, considering I can no longer actively fight."

Benjamin Martin was stunned and could not speak for a long moment. Finally he found his voice and said, "Truly, you are a great Patriot, sir. There's no way I could ever adequately thank or repay you."

"No thanks are necessary," Howard growled. "Just drive those British predators from our state so that our future grandchildren will have a peaceful home to grow up in."

"Consider it done, sir," Martin vowed.

------  
_I omitted Anne's movie speech from the chapter, as a young woman giving a speech in church would have been considered scandalous at the time, unless one was a Quaker, which the people of Pembroke were not. The battle of the Waxhaws is also true, though accounts differ as to exactly what happened there in regards to giving quarter._

_I have posted a new entry on my blog, "Tavington's Theme Song, Illustrated", which can be accessed from my profile. It does not relate directly to this story, but is rather a matching of photos to lyrics of a song that reminds me of Tavington, which also includes a link to listen to the song. I worked hard on it, so I'd be curious to see what readers think._

_Next chapter yet to be named, though I've nearly finished writing it._


	19. Conversations

After leaving the plantation the next morning, Tavington and his men took a circuitous route back to Fort Carolina, hoping on the off chance to come upon the Martins. Tavington did not have high expectations at this point, however, considering that this was Martin's home territory and he no doubt knew every bolt hole in the area. He also knew that Martin would lay low for awhile, as the man knew that he was being hunted. Nevertheless, the dragoon felt duty-bound to be alert for any opportunities to run Martin to ground.

Still, Tavington was not discouraged when they rode through the gates of Fort Carolina without once spotting their quarry. William Tavington was a patient man. He would bide his time and strike when Martin least expected it. It wasn't a matter of _if _he caught the rebel, but rather it was _when._

He intended to soon follow the lead Rufus had given him; to visit the town of Pembroke to see what he could learn there. But he needed to report his findings to the Lord General first before doing so and also be updated on any intelligence other units might have been able to obtain.

Looking over at Wilkins as the group entered the fort, Tavington was once again thankful that the man had joined the Green Dragoons when he did, as there would not be a man more useful in assisting in the capture of Martin and his son. Between Wilkins' knowledge of the area and its people, and Bordon's talents in interrogation and as a spymaster, Tavington was confident that he had the matter well in hand.

After dismissing the men and heading to the stables, Tavington was delighted to see Charlotte coming to meet him. He'd missed sleeping with her in their bed at the plantation the previous night and hoped they'd be able to spend some private time together before having to take the dragoons out once again. He was amazed at how quickly he was becoming accustomed to being married, a fact which both amused and unsettled him.

Smiling broadly as she hurried up to him, he opened his arms to embrace her. "Did you miss me?" he murmured quietly after giving her an unhurried kiss.

"I was counting the minutes until your return," she assured him breathlessly. "You know that I can never truly relax until I see you coming through the gates."

"Such is the lot of an Army wife during wartime," he noted as he turned to get some items from his saddlebags. "But I shall endeavour to do my best to make the time of war be curtailed as soon as I possibly can."

Turning back to Charlotte, Tavington handed her four books. "I brought you a few more books from your library to keep you occupied when I'm away from the fort."

"Thank you," she said smiling, as she linked arms with him to walk back to the main mansion. "You're so thoughtful. I'm sure the other officer's wives will be equally grateful, as we've been exchanging books amongst ourselves." After a moment, she asked, "Did you see any sign of Ben and Gabriel?"

"No, we never saw them," the dragoon informed her. "But he'd been to the plantation with his children, just as you'd said he do. He actually had arrived before we left, but stayed hidden, watching us leave, before he went inside. But he was long gone by the time we arrived. Mr Stanton told me that he'd 'borrowed' one of your wagons to use to take the children to one of his sisters, but had promised him that he'd have it sent back when he was through with it."

After a pause, he added, "But I doubt that will happen any time soon, as Rufus told me he's quite aware that I'm searching for him."

"Oh, my," Charlotte said, frowning, as she imagined Ben's likely reaction when he'd found out that she'd married another man so soon after rejecting his proposal. But she was quite relieved that Will and Ben still had yet to meet. She knew the meeting was eventually inevitable, but she was glad it hadn't been so soon after finding out that she'd remarried. "I can't imagine that he was very pleased when he was told of my marriage."

"Magnolia told me he turned purple and nearly had a fit when she told him," Tavington told her, laughing heartily. "It must have been quite a sight to behold. I wish I'd seen it, actually."

"William!" she admonished. "You're incorrigible!"

Though she tried to remained serious, she could not suppress a smile tugging on her lips. After a moment, she couldn't help but laugh herself, imagining Ben in a state of near-apoplexy. She was meanly glad that all of his annoying persistence over the last few years had come to naught and only regretted that she'd not been there to see the expression on his face when he learned that simple fact.

Now serious once more, Charlotte was glad that Ben had been able to see his children settled in a safe place. She wondered what would have happened to the younger children had Will caught up with the Martin family at the plantation.

"Will, what would you have done with the younger children if you'd caught Ben and Gabriel?" Charlotte asked curiously. "After Elizabeth died, Ben had often told me he'd want them to live with me if something ever happened to him."

"To be honest with you, I hadn't really given the matter any thought," Tavington admitted. "Would you have wanted to take them all in?"

"At one time, I would have taken them all, no questions asked," Charlotte said slowly. "But now, I don't know. It would be quite awkward for both them and for you, to say the least. We've only just begun our marriage and I must put my first loyalties with you." Looking deeply into his eyes, she assured him, "You come first to me and you always will."

"Have I told you lately just how much I love you?" Tavington asked. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

After leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek, she added, "And it's not as if I'm their only living relative. There are others who could take them in."

"Quite right," he agreed. "You shouldn't give the matter another thought."

Moving on, she asked, "Did Rufus mention which sister he went to?"

"It was Sarah," Tavington told her briefly.

"But you obviously decided not to pursue him there," Charlotte stated, puzzled.

"Well, for one thing, he did not mention where this Sarah lived in front of Rufus," Tavington reported. "And Martin did not intend to stay there. Rufus overheard him and his son talking about forming a militia as soon as they'd left the other children at the aunt's home. Martin mentioned getting in contact with former associates from the previous war and the son mentioned going to Pembroke."

"Oh, dear," Charlotte said, obviously distressed. It was just like Ben to go running off to war, without thinking of the possible consequences for his children.

"It was just like this when he ran off to go fight in the French and Indian war," she continued. "He and my sister hadn't been married long then and Gabriel had just been born when he ran off to war. He didn't worry much about how they were going to get by while he was away and our parents ended up having to take them in while Ben was away. And he came back quite a changed man; he wasn't quite himself as he'd participated in some worst atrocities that fell outside the commonly accepted civilized rules of war."

After a pause, she sighed, then continued, "He made the mistake of confiding in my sister, telling her what he'd done. She was so revolted that she would not allow him to touch her for four years. I think if she could have annulled the marriage at that time, she would have done so." Giving him a sheepish smile, she added, "But, obviously, they did eventually mend their differences."

"I see," Tavington merely said as he squeezed her hand in comfort. "That is most interesting.

Years ago, as a young teen, William Tavington had heard about some of the atrocities perpetuated during the French and Indian war when he'd overheard his father and some other men talking. Now, having heard the accounts of how some of the men had been killed in the massacre that had freed Gabriel Martin, Tavington was unsurprised to hear that Martin had been one of the ones who'd participated in the worst atrocities of the that war.

In Tavington's opinion, a certain amount of brutality was sometimes necessary in achieving crucial goals in war, but to hack and mutilate an opponent who was dead and had ceased to be a threat as Martin had done was sick and barbaric. He had to suppress a shudder at the mere notion of his beloved Charlotte married to such an unstable man.

At this point, the couple had reached the mansion. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, he took both of Charlotte's hands into his own. "I need to report my findings to the Lord General," he told her. "But as soon as I'm done, I'll come find you and, with any luck, we can spend a couple of hours alone together."

"I'll be waiting in our quarters," she murmured, giving him a seductive look. "I'll be counting the minutes."

Giving her a long, lingering gaze, he finally turned and headed reluctantly for Cornwallis' office. As much as he'd like to spend all his time lying in bed with his lovely wife, there was a war on and Tavington was eager to get on with it.

As he entered the outer office, the Lord General's aide said, "Go right in. General Cornwallis is waiting for you and is most eager to hear your report."

"Ah, Tavington," Cornwallis said, looking up from his desk as the dragoon entered the room. For once, he was alone, not attended by the sycophantic General O'Hara. "I take it that you did not capture Benjamin Martin and his son?"

"No, sir," Tavington replied. "But I did get some promising leads about what he's doing that you will be most interested to know."

The older man raised an eyebrow and said, "Go on…"

"I backtracked to his farm to see if he'd left any clues as to where he was going," Tavington began. "What I found there led me to believe that he'd headed to Mistress Tavington's plantation." After a pause, he added, "I don't know if you're aware, but Benjamin Martin is my wife's former brother-in-law, a fact of which I was unaware until just before leaving on this mission."

"Yes, I've heard of Mistress Tavington's connection to him," Cornwallis said. "I hope this will not interfere with you carrying out your duty."

Tavington was offended by the Lord General's insinuation, but swallowed the retort that first came to mind. "No, sir, not at all. I am a professional soldier and my duty is ever foremost in my mind. You can count on me to carry out my duty in the most expeditious manner possible."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Now, to continue with my report, one of the slaves at the plantation told me that he overheard Martin and his son talking about recruiting local men to form a militia to fight our forces."

Cornwallis leaned forward, now intent on Tavington's words.

"Martin said that he intended to recruit among the men he'd served with in the French and Indian war, From what Captain Wilkins and Mistress Tavington have told me, Martin and the men he served with participated in some of the worst atrocities of that war. It also seems as if Martin has quite the reputation for toughness among his neighbours. He also said that he intended to go to Pembroke to recruit amongst the men there, whom I'm given to understand are not experienced fighters."

"It would seem as if you and Colonel Tarleton have your work cut out for you, then," Cornwallis said. "If the actions of previous partisan groups we've encountered are any indication, then you will need to concentrate on protecting our supply lines, our couriers, as well as participate in any battles with Continental forces I assign you to, along with regular foraging and intelligence gathering missions."

"Yes, sir," Tavington acknowledged.

"Also, you and Tarleton will need to make periodic visits to Loyalists in the area in order to discourage harassment from their rebel neighbours," Cornwallis continued. "At the same time, I'll want you rooting out Martin and his supporters."

"I intend to do just that at the earliest opportunity," Tavington vowed. "With your approval, I plan to pay a visit to Pembroke as part of a routine patrol to see what I can discover."

"Excellent," Cornwallis replied. "Tomorrow morning is soon enough for you to go, I think." After a pause, he asked, "Why don't you and your lovely wife join me for dinner this evening?"

"We'd be delighted," Tavington accepted, glad that he and Charlotte would get to spend the night together.

"I'll expect you at six, then," Cornwallis said. "Captains Bordon and Wilkins are invited as well."

A few minutes later, Tavington returned to his quarters to find Charlotte sitting by the window with a book. As soon as she saw him enter the room, she closed the book and set it on a side table.

"We're invited to dine with the Lord General this evening," he told her, as he took her hand to lead her to the bed. "And I don't have to go back on patrol until tomorrow morning. Dinner won't be for several hours yet." Giving his bride a heavy-lidded seductive gaze, he said in a low, husky voice, "Whatever shall we do to pass the time?"

Leaning into his embrace, as his hands made quick work of her bodice," she murmured, "I believe I can think of something."

"Great minds think alike, my dear," he replied, as her nimble fingers rapidly unbuttoned his breeches. "It was the exact thing I was thinking of."

------

_Next chapter is in progress, but not yet named!_


	20. A Night of Pleasures

After a convivial dinner with Cornwallis and a small group of officers and wives, the Tavingtons excused themselves early, eager to return to the pleasures of their bed. Knowing that Tavington had to get up early the next morning to take the dragoons into Pembroke, they didn't want to waste a moment of this opportunity to deepen their intimacy. After making their excuses to the Lord General, they left, amidst barely concealed snickers from some of the other officers, who knew what the newlywed couple would be engaging in shortly.

Several hours later, the amorous couple reclined lazily in bed, fully sated, before going to sleep. Tavington was rather tipsy, as the couple had also enjoyed a bottle of wine he'd brought out from the plantation. Out of the blue, he turned to his wife and said, "I'm famished. I think I could eat an entire side of beef."

Charlotte laughed merrily, then replied, "It's no wonder after all your…err…exertions…this evening."

Giving her a lopsided grin, he bragged, "I was rather energetic, wasn't I?"

Leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek, she said, "'Energetic' hardly begins to describe it. You certainly gave me enough to keep me satisfied while you're gone."

Sitting up and swinging his legs to the side of the bed, he told her, "I think I'll go down to the kitchen and see what's available. I'll sleep better if I'm not hungry."

"Do you think any of the servants are still up?" she asked. "It is rather late."

"There should be someone still up making preparations for breakfast tomorrow," Tavington replied, as he hastily buttoned his breeches. "If not, I'll get one up. Or likely, there will be something lying around I can grab, such as bread and cheese."

"Oh, don't get anyone up," Charlotte said. "Servants work such long hours; they need their rest."

"I'll be back as soon I can," he said, leaning over to give her a quick kiss. He added a shirt over his breeches, and stuffed his feet into bedroom slippers, but left his hair loose and his shirt open.

After lighting a candle and putting it into a holder, Tavington headed down to the kitchen. The halls were quiet, but he could hear the indistinct buzzing conversation of a group of officers playing cards as he passed a conference room on the first floor. Not wishing to get entangled in conversation, he slipped by noiselessly, intent on his mission to get a snack.

As he reached the kitchen, which was in a small detached building in the back of the main house, he was glad to see that the fireplace was still lit. To his surprise, however, he found an equally half-dressed Banastre Tarleton there, sprawled in a chair waiting as one of the kitchen slaves was preparing a pan of biscuits for the smaller man. His auburn hair was down, loose about his shoulders.

Tarleton looked up at Tavington with a knowing smirk as the dark haired dragoon entered the room. "Did Charlotte wear you out, hmm?" Ban asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively. "I find that a good romp in the hay always increases my appetite." Laughing heartily, he continued, "You should have seen me tonight -- I managed to satisfy _three_ women after slipping away from Cornwallis' frightfully boring dinner."

Tavington snickered, then remarked, "I imagine the three women in question must be walking crooked now, thanks to you!"

"Naturally," the younger man said, grinning fiercely. Extending a bottle of brandy to his fellow dragoon, he said generously, "Have a swig. It's good brandy."

Tavington took the proffered bottle and took a long swallow from it, then sat beside his fellow officer to wait, as the slave readied a second pan of biscuits to cook.

"I'll be heading to Pembroke in the morning to see what I can find out about Benjamin Martin's new partisan group," Tavington told the other dragoon. "What does the old man have you doing tomorrow?"

"Oh, mainly a pillage and plunder mission, but I've had some leads about Francis Marion's movements that I intend to follow up, which should take me roughly in the direction of Camden," Ban replied offhandedly. "His men tend to come and go and my plan to pick off men away from the main group; essentially to fight a war of attrition."

"That's a good idea," Tavington allowed. Before he could say more, the door opened and in walked Charlotte's former maid, Molly, whom Tavington had not seen since just before she'd left Charlotte's home in Charles Town.

Looking from Tavington to Tarleton, she smiled broadly. "Well, isn't this a surprise; seeing my two favourite dragoons together again, just like back in Charles Town!"

"I thought Georgie was your favourite dragoon now," Ban reminded her. "I thought you and he were getting along famously.

"We're getting along fine," she assured him. "In fact, he sent me down here to get something to eat."

Ignoring the slave, who sighed loudly at yet another request for food, she walked over to Tavington and leaned over in front of him, giving him a good view of her unstayed breasts. "I've missed you," she purred seductively. She turned slightly to make sure Ban got an eyeful as well, then turned around and lifted her petticoat in back so they could get a quick peek of her bare bum.

"I don't suppose you've heard that Will recently married Mistress Selton, have you?" Ban informed the young woman in a conversational tone, curious to see how she'd react to the news.

"I'd heard," she smirked. Undeterred by the reminder, she murmured, "But that's no reason not to give me one last tumble for old times' sake, is it, now?"

"As much as I would like to, I really must decline," Tavington said automatically, but without much conviction. He could feel his cock stiffening even as he spoke.

"Your mouth says no, but other parts of you say differently," Molly insisted, as she boldly reached out to stroke Tavington's newly hard shaft through his breeches. It pulsed in her hand as she spoke, as if to give its own opinion on the matter. "It won't take but a couple of minutes. You can have a bit of me, then go back upstairs without Miss Charlotte being any the wiser."

"Go ahead, Will," Tarleton coaxed. "You go ahead and have her, then I'll have a go. I certainly won't tell anyone about it."

"Come on, Colonel," she wheedled, her hand still boldly fondling him. "It'll be fun!"

His painfully hard member throbbed impatiently yet again. In an instant, he'd made his decision, deciding to obey what his instincts urged him to do.

With a feral gleam in his eye, his hand clamped around her wrist, causing her to release his erection. Rising quickly from the chair, he jerked her arm as he led her roughly out of the kitchen, with Ban Tarleton on his heels.

Once outside, he led her to a section of the back wall of the main house, which was shielded from view by a tall hedge. Pushing her roughly toward the wall, he hissed, "Turn around, lean forward, and spread your legs a bit. And keep your mouth shut, if you know what's good for you."

Molly complied readily, placing her hands on the wall to brace herself as she turned to face it, presenting her backside to the aroused dragoon. She liked sex a little rough and gritty and shivered in anticipation as she waited for Tavington to enter her.

His animal instinct having taken over, Tavington hastily unbuttoned his breeches. He was eager to get into the waiting trollop, who was even now twitching her rump in invitation. After freeing his impatiently hard member, he yanked her petticoat up, so that the hem rested on the small of her back.

Slipping one hand between her legs, he noted that she was more than ready for him, as she'd no doubt come directly from Hanger's bed before appearing in the kitchen. With no further ado, he positioned himself behind her, then buried himself to the hilt in one smooth movement.

Once he was comfortably situated, he began driving into Molly at a brutal pace, as he had no desire to be gentle with her, nor did he want to take so long that he might risk Charlotte coming looking for him.

Though Ban Tarleton leaned on another section of the wall nearby, avidly watching the rutting pair with increasing arousal, Tavington was entirely oblivious to him. Like a stallion covering a mare in heat, his attention was entirely focused on the task at hand.

Neither Tavington nor Molly spoke, so intense was the pleasure coursing through them. Within moments, he could sense the first tendrils of his rapidly approaching climax. Straining toward completion, he grunted with effort as he moved in and out of her with an ever-increasing tempo. And although Molly tried her best to obey Tavington's command to remain silent, she could not help but emit several stifled mewls as the pleasure washed over her.

Seconds later, as his climax overtook him like hurricane waves crashing onto a beach, he quickly pulled out to spend his seed onto the ground. After a moment to regain his bearings, he stepped away from her without a word.

"Your turn, Tarleton," he said casually to the other man, still breathing heavily as he gestured to Molly, who remained in position, her quim glistening in the moonlight.

"Don't mind if I do," Ban said eagerly, as he stepped into position, his hard cock already out of his breeches.

As Tarleton entered the young woman with alacrity, Tavington spied a bucket filled with clean water standing by the kitchen door. Pulling out a handkerchief, he wetted it from the bucket, then carefully cleaned himself off before buttoning his breeches back up, as it wouldn't do to return to Charlotte's bed reeking of sex with another woman. He threw the handkerchief away when he was done, then went back into the kitchen to get his plate of biscuits.

Ban and Molly were still occupied as he came back out a moment later. He left them to their pleasure without a word, now ready for bed.

When he entered his bedchamber a couple of minutes later, he was relieved to find that Charlotte had given up waiting for him and had already fallen asleep. Still hungry, he sat at his desk by the window to eat a couple of biscuits.

He fell asleep very shortly after climbing into bed beside his slumbering wife a few moments later, feeling relaxed and contented.

Early the next morning, Tavington was awakened by Charlotte gently jostling his shoulder. "Wake up, love. It's past six and I remember you told me you wanted to get an early start this morning!"

"Hmm….mmf?" Tavington mumbled incoherently as he slowly came to consciousness as a particularly erotic dream was abruptly terminated.

"William!" Charlotte shook him more forcefully this time. "It's time to get up!"

"I'm awake, I'm awake!" he said, as he shook off the remaining cobwebs of slumber. "What time is it?"

"It's after six," Charlotte repeated, suppressing the urge to sigh. It wasn't like William to oversleep.

"Oh, I'm going to be late if I don't hurry," he said, wincing from a slight hangover as he got out of bed.

Vigorous sexual activity had always made him sleep soundly afterward, and he'd have felt fine if he'd been able to sleep until his body naturally wanted to awaken. But as it was, he'd be paying for the excess of wine he'd imbibed the night before.

After washing and shaving hurriedly, by pouring water from a pitcher into a large porcelain bowl, he began to dress.

Charlotte did not hurry, but waited for him to finish before getting ready for the day.

"What took you so long last night?" she asked as he was braiding his hair. "I tried to remain awake until you returned, but I just couldn't."

"Oh, I ran into Tarleton downstairs," he said smoothly. "You know how much Ban loves to talk. I'm afraid I got so caught up with his anecdotes, that I completely forgot about the time." Turning to face her as he finished braiding and began wrapping the braid in black ribbon to complete the queue, he added, "I do hope that you'll forgive me."

"You're forgiven," she said, leaning forward to kiss him on the cheek.

He responded by pulling her close to deepen the kiss, grinding against her.

The two enjoyed a long, searching kiss, but Charlotte pulled away when she felt her husband begin to harden.

"As much as I'd like to return to bed, I don't wish to be the one responsible for making your men wait for you."

"You're probably right, my sweet," he said, heaving a theatrical sigh. "As much as I desire to take you again this very minute, duty awaits."

-------------

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: _The concept of marital fidelity for men was viewed rather differently in the 18th century than it is now, in that all extramarital sex was not viewed in the same way. A man who had a love affair with a woman of his own social status would be frowned upon in the same way as most people would today. But random, casual encounters with women of the lower ranks where love was not involved, were viewed much more indulgently, seen as perfectly normal and permissible, as long as they were engaged in discreetly. Such couplings were common enough at the time as to be unremarkable. Most wives of the time, if they happened to learn of such occurrences, ignored them, as they considered them to be the nature of the male beast, and did not consider them threats to their marriage, which isn't to say that it wasn't upsetting to many women, nonetheless._

_In Tavington's mind, what he did with Molly had absolutely nothing to do with his feelings and his marriage to Charlotte. It was just a bit of diversion and variety for him, forgotten almost as soon as he'd left her and Ban to their pleasure._

_I'd not intended to write this chapter as I did, but I thought that Tavington had become a bit too domesticated in recent chapters, so I decided to let the bad boy that first attracted all of us to him out to play for awhile. Don't worry about his marriage to Charlotte, though, as she'll never find out about it._

**One more historical note**: _Women in the 18th century did not wear any sort of bloomers or underpants under their clothing, so Molly's bare bum was not because she was a trollop who'd just got out of bed. But the fact she wore no stays was indeed related to those two facts. A woman's underwear at the time consisted of a shift, a nightgown-like garment that fell to just below the knees, along with stays or jumps. Women did not start wearing bloomers until around the second decade of the 19th century or so._

**Next Chapter**: _A Visit to Pembroke_


	21. Pembroke

It was nearly noon by the time the Green Dragoons finally rode into Pembroke. Tavington's hangover, combined with insufficient sleep from the night before, had left the dragoon commander in an irritable mood and he'd mostly kept his own counsel during the ride out from the fort.

Earlier, the dragoon leader had sent a scouting party ahead to reconnoiter so there would be no unpleasant surprises waiting for them when they rode into the small town. Once the scouts had returned and given the all-clear, Tavington led the dragoon column into the village at a moderate canter.

He called for a halt in front of the town's general store, as Wilkins had advised him that this was the hub of activity for the people of Pembroke. The general store, run by a well-known rebel sympathizer, Peter Howard, would be the most likely merchant to be supplying Martin's partisans. Wilkins had also told him that Howard and Martin went back many years, as they'd served in the previous war together.

As the dragoons had ridden into the town to its centre, Tavington noticed townspeople going about their normal business, giving the dragoons a wide berth, combined with hostile glances as they passed.

Tavington immediately noted that the presence of women far exceeded the number of men he saw, and what males he did see were mainly old men and boys. This confirmed his belief that Martin had been successful in his recruiting efforts in this small town.

After he held up his right hand to signal his men to stop, Tavington turned to Wilkins and Bordon and murmured, "I'd bet my commission that this little village is a hotbed of rebel activity."

"That would be quite a safe bet, in my opinion," Wilkins concurred. "I often heard people here expressing disagreement with the King's policies, even before the war."

Turning to his other side, Tavington ordered Ogilvie, "Take some men and have a look around the town and see what you can come up with."

"Yes, sir, right away," Ogilvie acknowledged, immediately turning to select a group of dragoons to assist.

Nervous villagers began gathering near the town store as Ogilvie's group began fanning out throughout the little town. Some had been heading toward Peter Howard's store to do business when the dragoon column had ridden into town, but none dared now to pass the horsemen, who effectively blocked access to the small establishment.

"What's going on here?" The door to the store opened to reveal a thin young woman with a sharp voice. She stood looking up defiantly at Tavington with narrowed eyes, with her hands on her hips. "You need to move your horses, as you're blocking my customers from coming in."

"Is that so?" Tavington said, smirking at the angry young woman. "And who is going to make us move, hmm?"

All the dragoons within Tavington's earshot chortled gleefully at the woman's discomfiture.

"What do you want?" Anne Howard demanded, still trying to put up a brave front. "We are law-abiding citizens minding our own business and you have absolutely no right to come here harassing decent people!"

Tavington was no longer amused by the woman's dogged hostility. Glaring down at her, he coldly said, "I have every right to be here."

Raising his voice so that the townspeople gathered nearby could hear, "I have reason to believe that this town is harbouring and supporting a rebel partisan group." After a pause, he continued, "Be forewarned! Those rebelling against the lawful authority of King George and his army will be charged with treason and then summarily executed."

"We're not afraid of your empty threats," Anne insisted "None of us have done anything wrong, so you might as well ride out of here and go back where you came from and leave us alone."

There was much murmuring in the crowd, but no one stepped forward to back Anne up.

By this time, Tavington's patience had stretched to the breaking point. The dragoon did not say a word, but he dismounted with cold, calculating purpose. As he slowly made his way to where Anne now stood quaking on the front porch of the store, realizing she'd gone too far, Wilkins and Bordon exchanged glances, knowing that the foolish young woman was about to seriously regret her impertinence with the Colonel.

Suddenly, Tavington darted forward and grabbed her by the throat. Shoving her hard against the store building, he moved in close, his ice blue eyes boring into hers, as he continued to apply pressure to her throat.

"You _will_ guard your tongue and learn your place if you hope to see another day," he murmured, his voice sounding almost casual, but carrying a distinct undercurrent of menace. "I trust that my meaning is clear."

By this time, Anne's eyes were protruding from their sockets, wide with fear, as she began making choking sounds as she struggled to breathe.

Disgusted with the foolish chit, he released her, after which she slid down the rough wall to sprawl helplessly on the porch, gasping for breath. The townspeople were stunned and appalled by Tavington's casual brutality, but none moved forward to assist Anne.

Turning back to his men, he made a quick gesture toward the store, after which several dragoons dismounted and rushed inside to give it a thorough search. After assigning a guard to keep Anne out of the store, and leaving the rest of the dragoons to keep the townspeople at bay, Tavington strolled inside to join his men.

He entered the store to find his dragoons enthusiastically ransacking the place in their search for contraband. No other family members were present, so they were able to attend to their business unhindered.

With a tight smile, he instructed them, "Leave nothing untouched. Feel free to help yourselves to anything you desire, as you'll be firing the building once you're done. We'll teach these rebels the consequences of defying lawful authority."

The dragoons took Tavington strictly at his word and began greedily stuffing various items into their pockets, while at the same time carelessly throwing other things on the floor that didn't interest them, even taking their sabres to certain shelves, sweeping everything to the floor into a broken jumble. Accompanied by the sound of breaking glass and crockery, Tavington surveyed the rooms of the provincial store, then ventured upstairs to take a look at the family's private rooms.

He entered a large bedroom which was dominated by a heavy, oaken, canopied bedstead. Just left of the doorway was a large matching wardrobe. Tavington looked inside to find men's clothing of various types: coats, shirts, breeches, cravats, and so on. Judging from the size of the clothing, the owner was a short, stocky man. The dragoon rummaged through the coat pockets, hoping to come up with something incriminating.

Within a moment or two, Tavington's efforts were rewarded. Pulling several slips of paper out of a jacket pocket, he was elated to find a list of items and a promissory note signed by Peter Howard and none other than Benjamin Martin. Martin had written a few words on the note which made Tavington smile in gleeful satisfaction:

_I know that it was your wish to donate almost everything we would need, but my conscience demands that I sign this note as a promise to pay a later agreed-upon sum for goods provided at war's end._

_Benjamin Martin_

Tavington opened a second slip of paper in the same handwriting as Benjamin Martin's addendum to the promissory note, which proved to be a list of items. He quickly scanned the list, which included various items, such as tents, blankets, cooking supplies, foodstuffs, bullet moulds, flints, muskets, knives, bridles and other gear for horses, and so on.

The dragoon's smile widened as he realized that Howard was no doubt the supplier for Martin's partisan group. Excellent.

After pocketing the two pieces of paper, Tavington continued to look around the room. He did not need to find any more proof of Howard's treason, but he looked to see if there was anything worth plundering. On the other side of the bed, he spied a woman's vanity table, with an elegant jewellery box sitting upon it. Opening the lid, he found several pieces of fine-looking jewellery. He picked it up and emptied the contents into one pocket to sort out later, as there was surely something in there that Charlotte might like.

He moved on to the next room, which was filled with items that suggested that this room belonged to the shrill-voiced termagant downstairs. He opened a wardrobe similar to the one in the other bedroom to find several gowns and other items of feminine attire, which gave off a faint scent of roses.

As he gazed at the virginal looking clothing with a critical eye, Tavington had a sudden inspiration. Moving closer to the opened wardrobe with a wicked grin, he opened his breeches and emptied his full bladder onto the gowns, making sure the stream made contact with each one. Even though he knew this was a futile gesture, as the house would be going up in flames within a very short time, the act nonetheless was highly satisfying for him.

Before he could explore the room further, he heard Bordon's voice downstairs calling him. Striding to the stairway, he looked down at Bordon standing at the bottom. "What is it, Bordon?"

"I think you'd better come down, sir," Bordon said in a tired voice. "There's a bit of a situation brewing."

When Tavington reached the bottom of the stairs a moment later, he was confronted by a dark haired middle-aged woman standing in fearful agitation in the doorway, who was no doubt the mother of the younger woman he'd chastised. Two dragoons flanked her, ready to intervene if she got out of hand.

"What's going on here?" she asked with a sweep of her hand to indicate the broken, ruined pile of merchandise strewn across the floor and to the dragoons who were hurrying upstairs to do the same to the second floor. "I returned home to find my poor daughter hysterical, lying on the porch half choked to death and then I walked in here to find our store demolished."

Pausing only to suck in a fresh lungful of air, she continued, "What gives you the right to simply come in and destroy our home and our livelihood for no good reason? My husband and I are respectable merchants. You clearly have been given faulty information."

"Oh, there's no mistake," Tavington told her, smirking. "Your husband is guilty of treason, which gives me every reason to be here."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she insisted. "My husband has a wooden leg from serving the King in the last war. He has served the King faithfully."

"Perhaps you don't know what I'm talking about or perhaps you do," the dragoon said, close to the end of his patience. "But no matter, I have all the proof I need to hang your husband."

Looking at the woman sharply, he demanded, "And just where _is_ your husband? He doesn't seem to be minding his store."

"I've been visiting with my sick sister all morning," Mrs Howard explained, now visibly frightened. "I don't know exactly where my husband went, but he does deliver goods to nearby farmers from time to time."

Not wanting to listen to the woman any longer, he turned to the beefy sergeant guarding her and said, "Take her outside and detain her there. We'll be firing this building in a few minutes."

After telling another dragoon to go upstairs to tell the others to finish up and to get their torches ready, Tavington went back outside to find the two Howard women clutching one another in abject fear. Anne's neck was still red from where he choked her, with finger-shaped bruises beginning to form. She shrunk back behind her mother in fear as the arrogant dragoon strode onto the porch.

The townspeople were still milling around to see what would happen next, but so far had not interfered with the dragoons. Tavington paid them no mind as he strode over to Bordon, who had given the order to ready torches.

"Bordon, where is Wilkins?"

"He spotted Peter Howard's wagon coming into town, so he rode off to meet it before Howard saw what was going on here and turned around," his aide told him. Turning to gesture toward the northern edge of town, he pointed at the tall dragoon, accompanied by five other dragoons, escorting the Howard wagon into town.

"It would be a cold day in hell when Wilkins' thoroughbred could not easily catch two draft horses pulling a heavy peddler's wagon driven by a one-legged man," Tavington said, laughing scornfully.

"Quite," Bordon agreed, chuckling.

As the wagon slowly lumbered its way into town with its dragoon escort, Tavington called out to Wilkins, "Get him to park the wagon under that tree there. There's no need for him to get down when we're just going to string him back up."

Tavington strolled over to the large tree under which the Howard wagon was parked, which was directly across from the store. As the two Howard women watched fearfully from the porch, Tavington looked up at the nervously confused man and bawled, "All those found guilty of treason against the King will be summarily executed by hanging."

Howard swallowed hard, amazed at how quickly he'd been found out.

The dragoon, paying no attention to the one-legged man, continued, "However, you may be forgiven your treason if you would simply give me the location of Benjamin Martin's partisan group." Looking up at the older man with a sardonic grin, he concluded, "So, tell me, where is the location of Martin's base, hmm?"

Howard knew that Tavington was going to hang him whether he betrayed Ben or not, so he looked down at the haughty dragoon with narrowed eyes and a set jaw. "I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about."

"You had your chance," Tavington said indifferently. Gesturing to one group of dragoons and who held lit torches at the ready and another who had just strung a hastily constructed noose from the tree, he said, "Time to close down this sedition shop."

At hearing this, Anne and Mrs Howard hung on to each other for dear life, knowing that Mr Howard had just signed his own death warrant.

"Peter, no!" Mrs Howard cried out in anguish.

Howard gave his family a stern look that bade them to say no more. "I love you both. Always remember that." Holding his head high, he turned to Tavington and said, "Go ahead and do what you have to do."

It was all over in minutes. Peter Howard only had a few moments to see his home and his store burning, before the rope took him and he saw no more.

As Peter Howard dangled lifelessly before the town, Tavington loudly said, "Let this serve as an lesson. Treason will not be tolerated and will be punished to the fullest extent of the law."

Turning to Bordon, he said, "Disperse the crowd."

As Tavington's second in command moved to carry out his orders, a boy of about twelve years rode into Pembroke at a gallop, his horse lathered with its exertions. He rode right up to James Wilkins, who was easily distinguished from the other dragoons because of his great height.

"Mr Wilkins!" the boy called out, short of breath. "I'm so glad I caught up to you! Someone had said they'd seen you riding earlier in this direction and I'm happy to see they were right!"

"Calm down, Josiah," he said. "What's wrong? Are Mistress Miller and Miss Susan all right?"

Tavington, who had mounted his horse, came over and asked, "What's going on, Wilkins?"

"I'm just about to find out," the junior officer explained. "This is Josiah, a stable hand on my sister's plantation." Looking back at the boy, he said, "Go ahead, Josiah."

"It's the partisans!" he announced, still gulping for air. "They're attacking the farm! I was out back when they rode up, saddling a horse for Mistress Miller to ride. I managed to get away without them seeing me. After running into Nate Jones on the road, when he told me where he'd seen you, I came here."

Turning to the rest of the dragoons, Tavington called out, "To horse!"

A moment later, the dragoon column was thundering back down the road in the direction of the Miller farm, Pembroke forgotten for now.

_Thanks to my loyal readers and reviewers. It is from you I gain my enthusiasm to write._

_**Historical note:** The phrase "sedition shop" comes from Major James Wemyss, who was the second man that Tavington's character was based on. Wemyss once referred a particular Presbyterian Church as a "sedition shop", as he believed the membership the source of a great deal of rebel activity._

_**Next chapter:** Raid and Rescue_


	22. Raid

_This chapter is told entirely from the perspective of Wilkins' relatives. Don't worry, Tavington and the boys will be back in the next chapter._

Mary Wilkins Miller was frustrated as she searched the library for her riding gloves. She'd sent a slave girl up to her bedroom to have a look, while she continued to look through the library. As she bent to remove the cushions from the sofa in the hope that the gloves might have fallen into the cracks, she suddenly became aware of a faint rumbling sound that grew louder with every passing second. From the accompanying vibrations, she judged it to be at least a couple of dozen mounted men in a hurry approaching the plantation. Moving quickly to the front window, she gave a sharp glance down the long lane that led to her home and saw that her estimations had been accurate.

As the group rode closer, she recognized Benjamin Martin and his son, Gabriel, galloping toward the house, accompanied by a motley group of men. Some she recognized as residents of Pembroke, whom she saw on rare occasions. Her family's unconcealed Loyalist stance had made them unpopular in this decidedly Whig area in recent years, so she knew that Ben's visit was not a social call.

But it was several other men whom she did not know, who disturbed her most. These were rough-looking types who seemed barely more civilized than the wild animals with whom they shared the backwoods. If it had just been Ben and the men from Pembroke, she would not have been unduly alarmed, but the presence of the dirty, uncouth ruffians instantly gave her a sense of impending doom that something very terrible was about to happen.

Turning to a maid, who'd been quietly dusting the room, she said, "Run out to the barn and let Mr Miller know we have visitors who are likely to be trouble! Quickly, now!"

"Yes, Mistress," the young slave acknowledged, turning to run out the back.

Moving to the back stairway to call her nine year old daughter, Susan, downstairs, she caught a glimpse of the young stable hand, Josiah, riding a horse quickly into the woods, away from the approaching partisans. The tall, blond woman said a silent prayer that he'd get away without being spotted, then immediately sent up another prayer that he'd be able to find help before it was too late.

Seconds later, her daughter appeared at the top of the stairs, holding a book. "Come downstairs, dear," Mary said in as calm of a voice as she could muster.

"What is it, Mother," the little girl asked placidly. "Is it time to eat again, already? I've been reading my book and time just flies when I'm reading!"

"There are some unfamiliar visitors riding up to the house right now," her mother explained. "I'd feel better if you stayed close to me until they left."

At that moment the thunder of the horses was directly in front of the house. But Mary was surprised when they did not stop, but continued on to the stables, where her husband was checking on a pregnant mare. Along with a modest portion of land being devoted to rice farming, the bulk of their land was devoted to the raising of Thoroughbred horses and was probably one of the largest horse farms in the area. They'd been lucky when her brother James had arranged just three days ago for the Miller farm to supply the British army with fresh mounts.

Hurrying out to the front porch, with her daughter close behind her, she saw her husband Thomas warily emerge from the main stable as Martin's men halted in front of it. Mary cautioned Susan to stay on the porch with her, out of the way of the business of men, though she remained where she could see what would happen.

Thomas Miller was proud of his horse-breeding operations, one of the finest in the South. He dealt mainly in Thoroughbreds, as had his father before him. As his reputation as a breeder had grown, he'd been able to hire some of the best men from England to assist in his operations. Over the last few years, he'd supplied horses to some of the finest families in the Colonies.

And, now, with the awarding of the contract to supply horses to the British army, he was confident that he would come out of the war a very wealthy man. Miller had already met with the commander of the British Legion, Banastre Tarleton, who had been suitably impressed with the horses. He looked forward to a similar visit from William Tavington, commander of the Green Dragoons. Between these two cavalry units, Miller expected to be a very busy man for the foreseeable future.

Miller had gone out to the stables after the noon meal, as it was his habit to make inspection rounds with his staff every afternoon. Today, the main order of business had been a routine examination of a pregnant mare, who still had quite a ways to go before foaling.

As he watched the stable hand lead the mare out of the stable in order to return her to the pasture, Miller sensed the faint rumble of approaching horsemen. Not at first concerned, figuring that they were simply passing by on the road adjacent to the farm, he headed over to a small desk near the stable door to do a bit of paperwork. After a few moments, as the rumbling grew louder, he realized that it was more than just a few horses and that they were heading for the farm, rather than passing by. Frowning, as he wasn't expecting any visitors today, he headed outside to see who it was.

The horsemen, led by Benjamin Martin, had arrived by the time he'd exited the stable. Miller was dismayed to see them fanning out strategically, covering both the house and main stable.

"Ben Martin," he said, looking up at his old neighbour, noticing his oldest son beside him. "What are you doing here? I never expected to see you leading a band of ruffians like this."

"We are not ruffians, sir, but Patriots," Gabriel told him unctuously, drawing himself up on his horse.

"We're in need of horses, Miller," Ben Martin told him briefly. "We're short on cash to pay you for them, but after the war…"

"I'm sorry, but that won't be acceptable," Miller told him firmly, not adding that he'd never think of providing horses for any partisan group for any price. "I'm a businessman. I cannot just give away my stock without any firm basis for payment or getting anything in return."

"What you will get in return is helping to see your country become free," Gabriel said priggishly.

"Ah, but Miller's a Tory, and maybe he just doesn't want to see that," one of the Pembroke men put in.

"We're wasting time here by playing nice," Rollins snarled, moving his horse closer to the front. "I say we just take what we want and the hell with paying him! He's a Tory; he doesn't deserve to be paid!"

Loud murmurs of assent came from other men near Rollins.

Martin, now growing impatient, turned back to the recalcitrant Loyalist. "I'm sorry, Miller, but we'll just have to take the horses, with or without your consent." Heaving a theatrical sigh, he said, "I was hoping you would see reason and we could avoid all this, but apparently not."

Turning to his men, he gestured with a jerk of his arm. Several men immediately set off for the pastures to gather horses, while others dismounted to ransack the stables for whatever equipment they could find.

Before any of Martin's men could enter the stable, several of Miller's employees appeared from various locations, holding whatever weapons they could grab at short notice: pistols, knives, fowling pieces, pitchforks, and so on.

At their appearance, all hell broke loose, As the men on foot began to fight with Miller and his employees, other men dismounted and headed to the main house to see what they could loot.

Mary Miller pulled her daughter close as several partisans ran toward her. A handful of house slaves had joined her on the porch after the partisans had arrived and now surrounded the two Miller women protectively.

"What do we have here, boys?" asked a short sandy-headed man whom Mary did not recognize.

"I do believe it's a Tory bitch, Harry," one of his companions answered, grinning evilly, as they stepped onto the porch. Other men pushed past them to get into the house. Noticing that she was taller than both of them, he added. "And she's a big Tory bitch."

"And what do we do with big, tall Tory bitches, Sam?" the other partisan asked, pushing little Susan away from her mother into the arms of a waiting slave.

"I'm glad you asked me that question, Harry," Sam replied. "But I think I'd rather show you, rather than tell you."

The partisan grabbed Mary, then pushed her so that she was bent forward over the porch railing, after which he began grabbing at her petticoat.

"Maisie," Mary called out to the slave holding Susan. "Take Susan inside. She doesn't need to see this!" She'd glanced toward the stable entrance and hadn't been able to see her husband, as he and his men were surrounded by Martin's men. Mary knew she could not reasonably expect him to come rescue her from this indignity.

"Yes'm," the slave replied, moving quickly to obey.

"Mother!" Susan cried, afraid of the mean-looking men.

"Go with Maisie," her mother urged in a low tone. "I'll be back with you in a few minutes."

As the slave disappeared into the house with the little girl, the partisan said, "Enough talk out of you," as he roughly pulled her petticoat up to expose her bare behind.

"Oh, please don't do this," Mary begged as she heard the man unbutton his breeches, preparing to violate her. "I know Ben Martin and I know he wouldn't approve of you doing this. He's a gentleman."

The partisan laughed in her face. "Well, Ben is a mite occupied at the moment, you see," he told her scornfully. "And I'm guessing you really don't know him at all." As he got into position behind her, he warned, "I'd advise you to hold your tongue if you know what's good for you."

"Go on, Sam," the other partisan prodded in irritation. "Quit your blathering and give it to her, so I can have a turn before Ben is ready to leave!"

Needing no further encouragement, Sam shoved himself inside of the now-weeping woman, not caring to ensure that she was ready to receive him. He immediately began driving into her at a cruel, relentless pace, grunting heavily with his efforts, wanting her to know she'd been had by a real man for a change.

"Hurry up, Sam," Harry urged. "I don't know how much longer I can stand to wait!"

Sam did not respond, but obligingly picked up the pace.

Before he could finish, however, one of the men who'd been left on picket duty came galloping into the yard toward the stable.

"Tavington's coming!" he shouted several times. "The Green Dragoons were spotted on the Pembroke road coming hard in this direction!"

"Bloody hell!" Harry cursed. "What rotten timing." Turning to Sam, who had just climaxed, he said, "Come on, Sam," he urged. "Forget about the bleedin' Tory bitch. If Tavington catches you, he'll cut your nuts off!"

Mary didn't dare speak, but she relaxed just a tiny bit, knowing that Josiah had made it through and that the Green Dragoons were on the way. And she knew that her brother James would do more than simply cut off the man's testicles when he found him. She sagged against the porch railing in relief as Sam withdrew from her, her ordeal finally over.

The two men ran off looking for their horses, soon followed by other men from the house eager to escape the British dragoons.

As the lone horseman reached the stable, where Gabriel and some other men had returned from the pasture, each leading a few horses, he repeated himself. "Tavington is coming! He's not all that far behind me!"

Although, the men were not finished gathering all the horses, Ben Martin yelled out. "Let's get out of here! I'm not ready to take on Tavington and his dragoons just yet, nor do I want to risk our new horses."

Within seconds, the partisan group had disappeared into the woods at the back of the Miller property furthest from the road, leading the newly plundered horses behind them. There was an entrance to the swamps not far into the woods where they'd be able to lose themselves quickly, making it nearly impossible for Tavington to track them.

Mary Miller staggered to her feet as Martin's group left, intent on finding Susan. After straightening her petticoat, she grabbed onto the door frame as she stumbled into the house, where she found Maisie and Susan, cowering in the corner of the front room. The room was a shambles, where men had overturned furniture and emptied shelves onto the floor in their haste to find loot.

"It's all right now, Susan," Mary said quietly, as the girl ran to her. "The bad men are gone and you're safe." She rocked her daughter in her arms for a few moments until she calmed down as the slave looked on helplessly.

"Did the bad men hurt you, Mama?" Susan asked in a small voice.

Pressing her lips together tightly at the reminder, Mary swallowed hard, then said, "I'll be fine, dear." After a pause, she added, "But I need to go find your father now. Will you be all right here with Maisie while I do that?"

"Yes, Mama."

Satisfied that her little girl was safe for now, Mary told Maisie, "Keep her here for now, while I go check on her father. Don't worry about cleaning up the mess just yet."

Leaving the house, she walked unsteadily toward the stables, now distressed that her husband hadn't come to check on her and Susan. Her alarm grew when she saw a couple of the stable hands and one of the partisans lying dead near the stable door.

An injured slave sat leaning against the stable, moaning in pain as she approached.

"Ezekiel!" she called out. "Where is Mr. Miller?"

"I'm sorry, Mistress," he said sadly, "I tried to protect him…" His voice trailed off as he gestured around the corner of the stable with his good arm.

Mary forget her pain as she ran behind the stable, where she found her battered and bloodied husband lying in the grass. Their indentured blacksmith, Jonathan Dalton, was kneeling in the grass by him in a futile attempt to revive him.

"Oh, no!" she exclaimed as she rushed to his side. His head was a smashed and bloody mess, with blood also pouring from a large wound in his chest. Taking his hand, she moaned, "Thomas!"

"What happened, Mr Dalton?" she cried out in anguish. "I need to know!"

"I didn't hear what happened at first, because I was at my forge when the partisans first rode up," he explained quietly "I'm sorry to say that I didn't come out until I heard a lot of shouting. Near as I can figure, they came here to take our horses and Mr Miller told them no. I came out just in time to see him fighting with the partisan leader, but by the time I got here, he'd killed him with his tomahawk. The rider warning about Tavington came up after that, so the partisans got on their horses and left right away."

"Thank you Mr Dalton," she said in a tired voice. "You've been helpful."

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to help him," he replied awkwardly.

"There wasn't anything you could have done," she assured him. "They would have just killed you too."

At that moment, Mary stiffened as she once again heard the rumble of approaching horsemen.

"Oh, dear God, not again!" she exclaimed.

The blacksmith took a few steps to look around the side of the stable to see who was coming, but returned quickly.

"Don't worry, Mistress Miller," he reassured her. "It's the Green Dragoons!"

A few moments later, the dragoon column came to a halt by the stables. James Wilkins was the first dragoon off his horse, quickly dismounting at the sight of his distraught sister kneeling beside her obviously dead husband.

"Oh, Jim!" Mary cried out in anguish, as the tall dragoon took his trembling sister protectively into the shelter of his arms.

_**Historical note:** A "fowling piece" was typically used to hunt birds and other animals and is the forerunner of the modern shotgun._

_**Next chapter: ** Rescue_


	23. Rescue

"We came as fast as we could when we heard what was going on here," James Wilkins told his sister as he held her in his arms. "I'm sorry we didn't get here in time to save Tom."

"I'm just glad you're here," she murmured, still shivering with fear. "You did get here in time to save Susan. I don't know what more those horrible men would have done if you'd not arrived when you did." After a pause to collect herself, she added, "I think they would have killed us all if they'd thought it was necessary."

Looking around the yard at the dead and wounded, Wilkins did not doubt her word, as Mary had always been a level-headed, sensible woman.

William Tavington had dismounted after ordering other dragoons to check around the property to assess the damage and to look for any wounded partisans who might have been left behind. Approaching the grieving woman, he said, "Please excuse the intrusion, but I must know which way the partisans went when they left."

Before she could reply, the blacksmith said, "Sir, I can answer that question." Pointing out to two large trees bordering the northern edge of the property, he told Tavington, "They went out past those two trees nor more than ten minutes ago." After a moment, he added, "But I don't think you'll find them as there's a big swamp not far into the woods from there."

Turning to Ogilvie, Tavington ordered, "Take a detachment and see if you can't track the partisans. Send a rider to report if you've found a good trail."

"Right away, sir." Ogilvie responded, immediately moving off to carry out Tavington's orders.

"I need to check on Susan," Mary said shakily as Jim helped her up from the ground. "I left her with one of the slaves when I went to find Thomas."

As she regained her footing, her gaze turned back to her dead husband. "I can't just leave him there like that."

"Do not worry, Madam," Captain Bordon said solicitously. "We will make sure that his body is properly prepared for burial."

"Thank you," she said, giving him a brave smile, as Wilkins led her away. "I appreciate your kindness."

Bordon stood watching in rapt attention as the two Wilkins siblings walked toward the large house. Even in her stunned grief, he found Mary Wilkins Miller to be a strikingly attractive woman.

"What is so fascinating?" Tavington suddenly appeared at Bordon's side, following his gaze. "Ah, I see. Wilkins does have rather a comely sister, even if she is every bit my height. A veritable Amazon one might say."

"I like tall woman," Bordon retorted, somewhat defensively. "I always have. They...fit…better."

Tavington chuckled lowly in agreement. "No doubt." Laughing again, he continued, "But if you can tear your eyes away from Mrs Miller for now, we need to go take a look through the main stable and gather up Miller's account books and ledgers, so we can get an idea of how much Martin took. I'll need to have this information for the Lord General, as I would imagine he'll want to install a garrison here in order to protect the horses that are left from any further plundering by the rebels."

Tearing his gaze away from Mary Miller reluctantly, Bordon followed his commanding officer to the stable.

"Don't worry, Bordon," Tavington said a couple of moments later as he rifled through Miller's desk. "Wilkins will no doubt bring his sister and niece back to the fort, and you'll likely get a chance to become better acquainted with her there." Looking sideways at the other man, he added, "My advice to you is to wait awhile before you express any interest directly. In the meanwhile, you can make yourself useful to her during her time of mourning, That is, of course, if your interest in her is a serious one."

"I believe it is, sir," Bordon said. "Not only is she comely, but I would think she is also quite well-to-do."

After a pause, he continued, "And I would not simply trifle with Wilkins' sister, considering that Fort Carolina has sufficient women for me to amuse myself with. I'll be well able to wait for Mistress Miller, as my immediate needs will be well attended to by others."

"Speaking of that, Bordon, have you ever been with Molly?" Tavington asked in a conversational tone. "That wench is simply insatiable. Why, the other night, she took on Tarleton and I, one right after the other."

"Actually, yes I have and you're absolutely right," the other man replied, chuckling. "She's quite the enjoyable ride."

Bordon was a bit surprised that the still-newlywed Tavington was already seeking sex outside his marriage, but did not comment about it, as it was none of his business.

As the two dragoons continued to gather the information they needed, the Wilkins siblings reached the house,

"Oh, Jim," she whispered. "How am I ever going to tell Susan that her father is gone?"

"I can tell her, if you like," he offered, rubbing her back in an attempt to comfort her.

"No, I need to be the one to do it," she said resolutely. "But I'll need you right there by my side."

"Of course," he assured her. "I'll always be there when you need me, just as I promised Father on his deathbed."

"Susan?" Mary called out as they climbed the steps to the porch. "I'm back! And you'll never guess who I brought with me!"

The little girl appeared warily in the doorway, still clinging to Maisie, who looked nearly as apprehensive as her young charge.

"Uncle Jim!" Susan exclaimed, breaking away from the slave to run to her uncle.

Wilkins picked her up as she wrapped her arms around him. "Just look at how you've grown in just a few months!" he told her. "Pretty soon, you'll be so big that I won't be able to pick you up like this any more!"

Looking over his niece's shoulder, the dragoon noticed the shambles in which the partisans had left the room. As he put the little girl down, he gestured to two slaves standing in the doorway.

"Clean this up," he commanded in a low tone. "Then one of you go tell the cook to start dinner."

He walked over to the sofa and righted it himself, so they could have a place to sit when Mary broke the news of Tom's death to Susan.

"Come here, baby," Mary said to her daughter in a tired voice, once she'd seated herself on the sofa.

"Where's Papa?" she asked in a small voice, her lower lip quivering. Susan had suddenly remembered that her father had not returned to the house with her mother, having been completely distracted by the unexpected appearance of her favourite uncle. Looking into Mary's eyes, the sad expression on her mother's face frightened her. "Why didn't he come back with you? Did the bad men hurt Papa?"

"Oh, Susan!" her mother exclaimed, drawing her close as Susan began to cry. "Your father did his best to protect us, he surely did, but there were too many of them. He's...gone to be with Jesus."

Neither mother nor daughter spoke for the next few minutes as they grieved together, both in tears. Wilkins, too, remained silent, but patted his sister and niece on their shoulders as he shared their grief.

Within a few minutes, Susan's tears had subsided to occasional sniffles. She straightened up, then said in a small voice, "I think I should like to be alone now for a little while. May I go to my room?"

"Of course, dear," Mary said, giving her one last hug, then a quick peck on the cheek. "We'll be having dinner before too long and Uncle Jim and I will be right here if you need anything at all before then."

After the girl had left the room, Wilkins said, "Are you sure that's wise for her to be alone right now?"

"Susan has always been a rather self-contained child," Marry told him with a sigh. "She's always had the habit of going off by herself for a little while to collect herself after troubling and sad events." Sighing again, she continued, "She's like her father that way. I can remember when Thomas went off to spend hours in the stables after the news came that his father had died from a broken neck after being thrown from his horse."

Her eyes tearing up again at the mention of her beloved husband, she put a gentle hand on her brother's arm and added, "Don't worry, Jim. Maisie will follow her upstairs and linger nearby, just in case. Susan will not be left entirely unsupervised."

Rising gingerly from the couch, Mary said, "And I think I need to have some time to myself as well to have a bath before dinner."

She repressed an instinctive shudder as she thought of how she wanted to scrub herself raw to remove every trace of the indignity she'd been made to suffer that day. Mary wasn't quite ready to talk about the rape with her brother, but hoped a bath would help her relax sufficiently to broach the topic with him later.

"Mary," Wilkins called out in a soft, but commanding voice as she walked awkwardly in front of him on her way out of the room. "There's something you haven't told me. Tell me what they did to you."

Her shoulders sagging, she whispered, "How did you know?" Knowing there was nothing for it, she returned to the couch to sit beside her brother.

"There are a couple of small spots of blood on the back of your petticoat, each about the size of a coat button," he told her. "I've seen women who have been taken against their will before…" His voice trailed off, as he attempted to bring his emotions under control.

His voice nearly shaking with barely suppressed rage, he demanded, "Who is the bastard who did this to you? I swear to you that I will make him pay when I catch up to him! He will rue the day he was ever born when I find him!"

"Oh, Jim, it was so horrible!" Mary exclaimed, unable to hold back her emotions any longer. "He grabbed me and bent me over the front porch railing right in front of Susan!"

"Susan saw what happened?" Wilkins asked, thoroughly scandalized.

"He was going to do it right there in front of her and a few of the slaves," Mary confirmed. "But I told Maisie to take her inside. She was spared seeing it with her own eyes, but she knew something terrible was about to happen, even if she didn't exactly know what."

Suddenly grabbing on to his arms, she cried, "I was so frightened! I knew Tom couldn't help me because he was surrounded by Ben Martin's men by that time and probably never even saw what happened to me."

Pausing to take in a lungful of air, she continued. "And there were two of them! The other one was going to ravish me as well when the first one was done, but I was saved when one of their men came riding up to tell them you and the dragoons were coming! I don't know what would have happened to me if you hadn't come along when you did!"

"I'm surprised that Ben Martin would allow such a thing to happen," Wilkins said, frowning. "He and I have had our differences over the years, but I'd never seen him as anything but an honourable man."

"I don't think he was aware of it," Mary pointed out. "He was over at the stables with Tom and probably had no idea what had happened."

"Who were the two bastards, Mary?" Jim asked again. "I need to know."

"It wasn't anyone I knew," she reported. "They weren't Pembroke men, I'm certain." Pausing to think, she added, "I think they were some of those mountain men that Ben served with in the last war. He had quite a few of that sort with him."

"That makes sense," Wilkins agreed. "Can you at least describe what they looked like?"

"They were both short," she said, indicating with her hand about how tall they were. "Neither one came past my eyes. The one that…hurt…me had bright red hair and a wart on his cheek, right next to his ear; the right, I believe."

After a moment, she suddenly exclaimed. "Oh, yes, I remember now! The other man called him 'Sam'. And he called the other man 'Harry'! He had sandy-coloured hair, I think. His face was pockmarked and he had a knife scar on his chin!"

"Very good, Mary," her brother praised. "That will be quite helpful."

Changing the subject, he told her in a firm voice, "I'm taking you and Susan to the fort when we leave. It's not safe for you to stay here any longer."

"Do you think that's a good idea," Mary said, frowning. "If we leave the farm unattended, the partisans will just come back and take everything and destroy whatever they can't carry away."

"The farm won't be unattended, I can assure you," her brother said. "After Colonel Tavington gives his report to General Cornwallis, I'm quite certain the General will assign soldiers here to guard and run the farm, as Tom did have a contract to supply horses to the Army."

Seeing the hesitation on her face, he coaxed, "There are families living at the fort. It will do Susan good to be around other children, I'm thinking. And you'll never guess who is living at the fort: Charlotte Putnam!"

"I've not seen her since we were children," Mary said, smiling. "I knew she'd married John Selton, but I believe she's a widow now."

"But she's not a widow any longer," Jim said, grinning widely. "She was remarried quite recently -- to Colonel Tavington!"

"It would be nice to see Charlotte again," Mary conceded. "I will bow to your wishes in this matter, as I know you want what's best for us."

"I'll be able to rest easier if I know that you and Susan are safe and protected," he told her. "It will be one concern off my mind."

Lieutenant Ogilvie was disgusted as he returned to the Miller farm, along with the detachment of dragoons. They'd been able to easily follow the trail the partisans left while leaving the farm, but had been unable to track them any further once they reached the large swamp about a mile from the edge of the Miller's property.

He met Colonel Tavington and Captain Bordon leaving the main stable as he dismounted to make his report.

"Well?" Tavington demanded. "Any sign of where they went?"

"They went straight into the swamp about a mile from the edge of this property," Ogilvie reported. "It's anyone's guess as to which direction they took from there, as I found that the swamp had several branches leading in different directions."

"That's about what I expected," Tavington said. "I am not overly concerned, as I'm sure we'll be seeing them again soon. We'll have plenty of opportunities to deal with them. Right now, our focus is to save this horse farm."

"Yes, sir."

"Have the men set up camp, as we'll be spending the night," Tavington instructed. "Also assign a detail to dig a grave for Mr Miller and have someone find some lumber to build a coffin with. Bury Miller's dead employees and slaves in the appropriate places, but have the partisan dead taken to the swamp and dump them in there."

"Right away, sir," Ogilvie said.

Turning to Bordon, who was carrying several ledger books, Tavington said, "Let's go up to the main house and see to dinner and our own accommodations."

"Right behind you," Bordon said, eager to see Mary Miller once again.

_**Next chapter**: not yet named._


	24. Aftermath

Benjamin Martin and his militia rode directly to their hidden base at Black Swamp after making a clean getaway from the Miller farm, confident that the Green Dragoons would not be able to track them through the swamp.

Though they'd not acquired as many horses as originally intended and hadn't had time to plunder any equipment for them, they'd still ended up with six healthy Thoroughbreds that would have cost dearly if they'd had to have paid for them.

Once they were well away from the farm, the men started chatting animatedly amongst themselves, congratulating themselves for doing so well on their first raid on a Tory homestead.

"I'd say we taught them dirty Tories a good lesson," Rollins commented to the men who rode near him, spitting a large wad of tobacco after speaking, as if to punctuate his statement.

"Right you are, Rollins," Sam Sawyer agreed. "And I had me a good bit of fun there, if you know what I mean."

"That I do," Rollins replied with a feral grin. "It's too bad I didn't get the chance to have the same kind of fun."

"There will be other farms and other women," Sam assured him. "You'll get plenty of chances, I'd wager."

"If it wasn't for those fucking Green Dragoons showing up, I'd have had a chance _this_ time," Rollins noted darkly. "I can't wait until Martin lets us take a crack at those bastards. I'm aiming to take revenge for what Tavington did to my sister's family. I won't rest until I make that bastard pay."

"Don't worry, we'll get our chance pretty soon, I'd think," Dan Cooper put in. "I know that Ben's been in contact with Harry Burwell, who intends to use us to help the Continentals the next time there's a battle."

"I can hardly wait," Rollins said, licking his lips in anticipation of the mayhem to come. "But I'm thinking I'll like doing these raids better. More chance for fun and more chance for good plunder."

Looking sideways at John Billings, who hadn't said a word since they'd left the Miller farm, Rollins called out to the normally talkative man, "Hey! Billings! What's the matter with you? You haven't said hardly a word all day."

"It's my teeth again," he replied, groaning in agony. "I hurt so bad I can hardly move."

"Why don't you take some laudanum," Gabriel Martin said from Billings' other side. "I know you got some when we were in Pembroke."

By this time, the group had reached their campsite and were in the process of dismounting. Billings moved gingerly, taking his time getting down from the horse.

Turning to Gabriel, who was now standing by him in concern, Billings said, "I drunk up the last of it last night so I could sleep. I've been in misery all day and all I want to do now is lay down."

"I could go into Pembroke and get you another bottle," Gabriel offered. "Father wanted me to go into town to place another order with Mr Howard, so it wouldn't be any trouble for me."

"I'd be much obliged," Billings told him gratefully. "Maybe you should get two bottles."

"No problem," Gabriel said. "I'll be happy to do it."

About a half hour later, Gabriel Martin emerged cautiously from the woods onto the Pembroke road. He immediately kicked his horse into a gallop, wanting to make it into town while it was still daylight. Gabriel had been most eager to run the errand for his father and also to do the favour for John Billings, as this gave him the perfect excuse to spend some time with Anne. He knew that as the militia became more active and especially when Burwell started using them to support the Continentals, that there would be little time to spend courting Anne.

As he reached the outskirts of Pembroke, Gabriel was immediately struck by the distinct odour of smoke, which became stronger as he continued on. Looking up, he saw a pall of smoke lingering over the village. He urged his horse on, eager to find out what had happened.

As he pulled up in front of the smoking ruins of the Howard store and home, his mind could not at first grasp what his eyes saw. For a long moment, he stared dumbly in shocked disbelief at the wreckage before him.

Finally snapping out of it, Gabriel jumped down from his horse and ran up to the remains of the building. "Oh, dear God!" he muttered to himself. "Anne! Where are you?"

"Oh, she's not there," a voice behind him called out. "She and her mother are over at her aunt's house."

Gabriel turned to see fourteen year old Jeremiah Hawkins standing behind him. The youth had tried to join the militia after the meeting at the church and had been quite disappointed when he'd been told he was too young.

"What happened here?" Gabriel demanded, still in shock.

"The Green Dragoons," Jeremiah told him briefly as they walked the short distance to where Mrs Howard's sister lived, with Gabriel leading his horse. "They showed up suddenly around noontime."

"Damn," Gabriel swore under his breath.

"They ransacked the Howards' store," Jeremiah continued. "Then they hanged Mr Howard for treason and burned down the store. And no sooner had they done that, than they were gone!"

Gabriel swore again, knowing this must have been done at the same time that he and the militia were raiding Miller's farm. It amazed him at how quickly Tavington had figured out that Peter Howard was supplying the militia.

"What did they do with Mr Howard's body," Gabriel asked quietly.

"Reverend Oliver is going to lay out the body at the church, considering they can't do it at home," the youth explained. "They're going to have the funeral tomorrow."

By this time, they'd reached the home of Anne's aunt. As Gabriel tied his horse to a tree out front, he said, "Thanks for your help, Jeremiah. I need to go inside and talk to Anne and her mother alone, but I may see you at the funeral."

After the boy had left, Gabriel knocked at the door. It was opened almost at once by Mrs Howard herself.

"Gabriel!" she cried out, opening the door wider and beckoning him inside. "Is your father with you?"

"No, he sent me to town with a list of supplies he needed," Gabriel told her. "I didn't know what happened until just now. I'm so sorry."

"Thank you," Mrs Howard said quietly. "I'm glad you came."

"I'd really like to talk to Anne and make sure she's all right," Gabriel said. "I'd been looking forward to seeing her all during the ride into town."

"Anne isn't feeling well," Mrs Howard began slowly, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "She's been through quite an ordeal and I thought it best for her to lie down and rest."

"Is she sleeping?" Gabriel asked. "I would really like to see her, if at all possible."

"I don't think she's slept much," she said softly, thinking that it would probably do her daughter some good to see him. "She's in the upstairs bedroom. Why don't you go on up? I'll make some tea for us while you're up there."

A moment later, Gabriel tapped softly at the door, then slipped quietly into the room. He found Anne facing away from him standing by the window looking out. The bed covers were turned back and rumpled, betraying a restless time spent there.

"Mother, I am not hungry," Anne said in a sharp tone as she heard the door open behind her. "Please leave me alone!"

"It's not your mother," Gabriel said softly as he came up behind her, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's Gabriel."

Anne winced slightly to feel the pressure of his hand on her shoulder, as her neck still hurt from where Tavington had choked her.

Noticing the slight flinch, Gabriel moved to face her, who did not raise her head to meet his eyes.

"Anne," he said softly, putting one finger under her chin to lift her eyes into his gaze. "It's all right now. I'm here and I'll protect you."

As her head tilted up, Gabriel immediately noticed the livid bruises on either side of her neck.

"Anne!" he exclaimed, his jaw almost dropping open in shock. "What happened? Who did this to you?"

"Tavington. It was Tavington," she told him, her voice trembling. "He nearly strangled me to death." Gulping back a sob, she continued, "I tried to rest after we come over here, but every time I closed my eyes, all I could see were his cold eyes, staring at me with absolutely no emotion as he was choking the life out of me."

Grabbing on to his shoulders, she cried, "Oh, Gabriel, I thought I was going to die! I've never been so frightened in all my life!"

"Did he do anything else to you?" Gabriel demanded. "Did he…take your virtue?"

"No, thank God," Anne whispered, shuddering at the thought. "I think he was too intent destroying our home and hanging Father to take time to do that."

After a pause, she said slowly, "But if Josiah, the stable boy from the Miller's farm, didn't come along looking for Mr Wilkins when he did, I don't know what else Tavington and his men might have ended up doing. They left in a hurry after Josiah talked to Mr Wilkins."

Gabriel had been trying to control himself as Anne told him what had happened, but now he found himself shaking with barely suppressed rage.

Looking intently into her eyes, he vowed, "I swear to you that I will _kill_ that man for what he did to you and your family, even if it's the last thing I ever do!"

He took Anne into his arms then, holding her in wordless comfort for several long minutes.

A short time later, the couple went downstairs to supper after Mrs Howard sent the serving girl upstairs to check on them.

"We lost everything," Mrs Howard told Gabriel as they waited for the food to be served. "Not only have we lost Mr Howard, but Anne and I have been left with only the clothes on our backs. Everything else was either plundered by those barbarians or burned up in the fire."

Sighing loudly, she continued, "I suppose I should be grateful that we were allowed to escape with our lives. We can stay with my sister as long as we need to, and I've heard the ladies from the church are planning a sewing bee to replenish our wardrobes."

"And Father and I will do everything we can to help," Gabriel told her. "We will deal with the Green Dragoons as soon as we can, I promise you."

"We appreciate that," Mrs Howard said with a brave smile..

"And I really should go back right after supper to tell Father what happened," Gabriel decided. "He needs to know what happened as soon as possible."

"Please don't go, Gabriel," Anne begged, clutching his arm in fear. "What if the dragoons come back?"

"They won't be back tonight, at least," Gabriel told her. "Last we heard of them, they were at the Miller farm." Seeing the terrified expression that remained on Anne's face, he relented. "But I'll stay here tonight, if that will make you feel better. I'll have to leave at sunup, though, so I can tell my Father in time for him to come to the funeral."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The next morning, William Tavington left a sizable number of men behind at the Miller farm under Lieutenant Ogilvie's command when the rest of the dragoons left to return to the fort.  
Though he was eager to get back to give his report to General Cornwallis and intended to make the trip with all possible haste, he knew that the partisans would return to finish what they'd started if the farm was left unguarded.

Several hours later, Mary Miller sighed in relief when her brother told her that the fort was less than two miles ahead. They'd left the farm not long after sunup and had been riding for most of the day with few rest stops. Though Mary was an accomplished horsewoman, she was weary and was ready to be settled behind the security of the fort walls.

The day had started off on a rather tense note, when Colonel Tavington had questioned her decision to ride sidesaddle, telling her she'd not be able to keep up if they needed to move quickly to avoid rebel patrols. He'd even told her she'd have to ride double with a dragoon if she wasn't willing or able to ride using a standard saddle. Tavington had only relented when James had assured him that she could ride just as well sidesaddle as they did with standard saddles and that she would have no problem keeping up with the dragoons. The Colonel had held firm, however, in denying her request that Susan would ride with her on her horse. Instead, Susan had ended up riding with Jim, with her uncle's arms wrapped protectively around her.

Despite knowing that she was perfectly safe surrounded by the dragoon column, with Colonel Tavington, Captain Bordon, and Jim riding close by her, Mary could not relax during the entire journey, fearful that the partisans might appear at any moment from the woods to finish what they'd started at the farm. Though she knew her feelings were irrational, she could not help but sigh with relief to know their journey would soon be at an end.

Susan, however, had looked upon the move as a great adventure. At this particular point, though she rationally understood that her father had died, she could not completely grasp on an emotional level that he was gone forever. She'd been full of questions for all the dragoons near her during the ride, which Mary knew was Susan's way of distracting herself.

"Uncle Jim, are we nearly there yet?" Susan asked about a minute after he'd told Mary that they were about two miles from the fort.

"Yes, Susan," he answered patiently. "I just told your mother so just a moment ago. Weren't you listening?"

"I'm sorry, Uncle Jim," she replied. "But I was watching a little dog on the side of the road that was running along with the horses."

"There are several dogs kept as pets at the fort, Susan," Bordon put in from the other side. "And quite a few cats as well.

"Mum told me there would be children my age at the fort," the young girl announced. "Are there many?"

"Quite a few," Bordon replied, chuckling. "And I daresay you'll make plenty of friends in no time."

A few moments later, the forest lining both sides of the road gave way to a large meadow. William Tavington, who had been riding a bit ahead of the family group to give his ears a rest from Susan Miller's incessant chatter, now looked back over his shoulder at the little girl and told her, "Look off into the distance on your right and you'll see the fort."

Both mother and daughter looked where the Colonel had indicated, eager to finally see their new home for the foreseeable future.

As for Tavington, he was glad to see the journey at an end as well. As a rule, he didn't much like having civilians riding with his dragoons, as their presence tended to upset the usual routine of the group. He'd been put out with Mary Miller's insistence on riding sidesaddle, as he was used to having his orders obeyed without question. She'd also been the cause of them having to stop more often than Tavington thought prudent, considering the level of partisan activity in the area.

As the gates of the fort swung open to admit the dragoon column, Tavington looked forward to giving his report and recommendations to Cornwallis as quickly as possible, then to disappear with Charlotte into their quarters.

/\/\/\/\/\

_Next chapter as yet unnamed._


	25. Reunion and Report

Charlotte Tavington was taking a walk with Ruth around the perimeter of the fort when she felt a faint rumble in the soles of her feet. Her ears perked up immediately, waiting for the vibrations to turn into the sound of approaching hoof beats.

She'd expected William and his men to return to the fort last night and when they'd not arrived by bedtime, she'd become vaguely uneasy. Even though William had told her not to expect him to adhere to a strict timetable, as unexpected things often occurred to keep them away from the fort longer than intended, she still could not help but be concerned.

Charlotte had not slept well the night before, getting up several times to look out the window, imagining that she'd heard the sound of the returning dragoons. In between trips to the window, she had tossed and turned, imagining one dreadful scenario after another that might have kept her husband from returning. She'd even become nauseated with anxiety and had thrown up into the chamber pot at one point.

But with the coming of day, she'd calmed down to a great degree, reminding herself that worries always seemed worse at night. As the day progressed, her anxiety came creeping back to some extent as the day wore on, and so she'd decided to take a long walk around the fort to help herself relax.

As the vibrations became clearly audible, Ruth smiled and turned to her employer. "See, Miss Charlotte, I told you there was nothing to worry about. Here comes the Colonel now, I bet you."

"It could be Colonel Tarleton and his men," Charlotte pointed out, not wanting to get her hopes up.

"It could be," Ruth agreed. "But I suspect it's Colonel Tavington. I have faith."

Both women made their way to the gate to await the arrival of the horsemen. As the gates swung open to admit the soldiers, Charlotte's heart did a happy little thump in her chest when she recognized William leading the group inside, looking hale and hearty.

"I told you so," Ruth pointed out. "There he is, none the worse for wear."

Charlotte smiled at her faithful servant. "I will make sure to take heed of what you say from now on."

She rushed eagerly toward the spot where William usually dismounted when he returned to the fort, along with several other women who had come out to greet the returning dragoons. Some were the wives and family of the men, while many others were the ubiquitous camp whores looking for business among the returning dragoons. Charlotte knew they were an unavoidable part of life in an army encampment, but she did as the other respectable women did; she simply pretended they did not exist.

"Welcome home, darling," Charlotte said, reaching Tavington as he was in the process of dismounting and handing off his horse to a stable hand.

"I missed you," he breathed, as he took her into his arms for a long, searching kiss.

As they reluctantly broke apart, Charlotte looked over William's shoulder to notice Captain Wilkins with a little girl standing by his side as he helped a familiar looking woman down from her horse.

Tavington turned to follow his wife's gaze, then said quietly, "Now you see why we were gone longer than I'd planned. When we were in Pembroke, we got word of a partisan raid on the farm of Captain Wilkins' sister…"

At this moment Mary Miller caught sight of Charlotte looking at her. "Charlotte Putnam!" she called out. "Jim told me you'd be here!"

"Mary," Charlotte greeted, smiling in welcome. "And it's Charlotte Tavington now. The Colonel and I were married recently." Walking over to the other woman, she took both of Mary's hands into her own and said, "It's so wonderful to see you! You are looking quite well; the years have been quite kind to you."

"As with you," Mary responded. "I just wish our reunion was under happier circumstances."

"Charlotte, why don't you take Mrs Miller and her daughter to our quarters?" Tavington asked his wife. "Captain Wilkins, Captain Bordon, and I must go now to give our report to the Lord General, so Mrs Miller will have to wait for a short time before being assigned quarters."

"Of course, William, I'd be happy to," Charlotte said warmly. "It will give us a chance to get re-acquainted."

"Take your time," Mary agreed. "Charlotte and I have much to talk about."

"We shouldn't be too long," Tavington said, as he leaned down to give his wife a quick peck on the cheek.

Noting the concerned expression on her brother's face, Mary smiled and told him, "Go ahead, Jim. Susan and I will be just fine."

"Are you sure?" He hesitated for a moment.

"Very sure," she affirmed. "Go, now. The Colonel is waiting for you."

A few moments later, Charlotte Tavington opened the door to her suite and beckoned her guests inside. Turning to Ruth, who had been following at a sedate pace, she said, "Ruth, would you please bring up a pot of tea for us?"

"Right away, Mistress," she replied, turning to leave.

"Oh, and could you take Susan with you, if you don't mind," Mary put in. "Mrs Tavington and I need to have a private conversation."

"I could show her the gardens after I bring the tea, if you like," Ruth suggested. "Or I could take her to the kitchen for something to eat."

"The gardens will be fine," Mary decided. "I imagine we'll be eating dinner as soon as the men return, and I don't want to spoil her appetite. But you may give her a little snack, however."

After the maid had left with young Susan, whose curiosity had overcome her natural reticence, the women settled themselves on the sofa.

"William said there had been a partisan raid on your farm?" Charlotte began hesitantly. "I assume that is why you've come to the fort?"

Turning to Charlotte, Mary asked, "May I be perfectly frank with you, because what I have to say is rather disturbing."

Noting the pained expression on the other woman's face, Charlotte said softly, "Yes, Mary. We're old friends; of course you can speak freely to me. And I know it must be something serious, considering you sent your daughter from the room."

Taking a deep breath to steel herself for what needed to be said, Mary stood up and walking to the window, facing away from Charlotte. In an almost inaudible voice, she whispered, "I was raped."

"What!" Charlotte exclaimed, not quite believing what she heard. "What happened?" Indicating the sofa, she urged, "Please sit down and tell me."

After resuming her seat, Mary turned to the other woman and murmured, "I hardly know where to begin. It's hard to accept that I've lost my husband and had my virtue compromised all in one day."

Patting her friend's hand in sympathy, Charlotte said, "Take your time."

After a long pause, Mary gathered her courage together and began talking. "Did you know that Ben Martin is the leader of a rebel partisan group?"

"Yes, William had mentioned it to me," Charlotte affirmed. "That was the reason he went to Pembroke the other day. He was looking for more information about the group, as they'd apparently formed only within the last week or so."

"It would seem as if one of their goals is to harass Loyalists," Mary opined. "And I would imagine they picked our place first because my husband Thomas ran a horse farm. They rode up yesterday, all of a sudden, and demanded that Thomas just give them our horses! When he refused, they killed him!"

"I'm so sorry," Charlotte said sorrowfully, leaning over to give her a hug, while Mary paused to collect herself once again.

"I didn't see it happen, thank God," Mary told her. "Jim told me what the blacksmith had told Colonel Tavington."

"Where were you when it happened?" Charlotte asked.

"I'd heard them riding up when I was inside the house," the other woman said. "I went outside onto the porch in time to see them ride over to the stables. I stayed there with Susan to see what was going on, wanting to keep her out of harm's way. It was then that some of the partisans came over to the house to see what they could plunder."

Heaving a gusty sigh, she continued, "Two of the partisans noticed me and hung back after the others went into the house. They began taunting me, talking about me as if I were some common street trollop. One of them came up to me and shoved me over the railing so that my bum poked up into the air. He told me what he was going to do to me with Susan standing right there! I don't think she quite understood what he was about to do, but she did know he was going to hurt me in some way."

"How horrible!" Charlotte said, patting her hand again in commiseration.

"I had one of my slaves, Maisie, take Susan inside, so she'd not have to see it," Mary elaborated. "I'm not sure if they'd killed Thomas by this time, but the stable was still surrounded by quite a few partisans, so he'd not have been able to get away to help me, in any instance. I don't think he ever knew what happened to me."

After a pause, she plunged ahead, "No sooner had Maisie and Susan gone into the house than he violated me." Clutching at Charlotte's hands, she cried, "It was so horrible! It hurt terribly as he made no attempt whatsoever to be gentle. It felt like he was tearing up my insides."

"I'm surprised that Ben would allow his men to do such a thing," Charlotte told her. "He's always been a perfect gentleman around me and had brought up his sons to be as well."

"It shocked me, too," Mary admitted. "I knew he had rebel sympathies, but I never thought he'd ally himself with men like that."

"Did you know who the men were?" Charlotte asked.

"They were mountain men, I'd guess," Marry said. "They were dirty and they smelled as if they'd not bathed in months. I know they weren't from Pembroke or anywhere nearby."

"They were likely some of the ones Ben served with in the last war," Charlotte speculated. "My sister told me that Ben came home from that war a very different man from when he left. She said that there were times she felt that she didn't know him any longer; that he had a dark side."

Charlotte sighed loudly, once again glad that she'd not given in and married Benjamin Martin.

"What is it?" Mary asked.

"I was just thinking once again of how glad I was I never married Ben," Charlotte told her. "He'd asked me several times after both Elizabeth and my first husband had died."

"Oh, my," Mary managed to say.

Before Charlotte could reply, there was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in!" Charlotte called out.

As Ruth and Susan entered the room with the tea pot, Mary turned to her friend and said in a low voice, "We'll talk more about this later."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

After dismissing the men for the day, Tavington headed over to the Lord General's office to make his report, accompanied by Captains Bordon and Wilkins. The three men found General Cornwallis having tea with General O'Hara as the general's aide escorted them into his office a short time later.

"Colonel Tavington to see you, sir," the aide announced, as the two generals looked up in annoyance at the interruption.

Not waiting for the Lord General to speak first, Tavington called out in an almost exuberant tone, "I have good news for you!"

Ignoring O'Hara's sour look of disapproval, he continued, "We have found and eliminated Benjamin Martin's major supplier." Indicating Captain Wilkins with a brief gesture, he added, "Thanks to Captain Wilkins' excellent information, we were able to quickly locate and deal with this problem without a single casualty."

Cornwallis acknowledged Wilkins' contribution with a slight nod of approval, then asked Tavington, "Did you engage directly with Martin's partisans?"

"No, but I imagine it won't be long before we do, now that they'll have to cross into our territory in order to get supplies," Tavington opined. "And this brings me to the second part of my report. While we were in Pembroke taking care of Martin's supplier, a rider came into town looking for Captain Wilkins to tell him that partisans were raiding his sister's farm."

Looking directly at Cornwallis, the dragoon continued, "This was the Miller horse farm, which, as you know, was recently contracted to supply our army with fresh mounts. We immediately left Pembroke, but by the time we arrived at the Miller farm, the partisans were gone, but not before killing Thomas Miller and ravishing Mistress Miller."

Wilkins winced at the mention of his sister's rape, but did not comment, knowing that Tavington could not leave any pertinent information out of his report.

"They only managed to steal five horses, however," Tavington reported. "The farm's head blacksmith was certain that the news of our impending approach kept them from doing any more damage or stealing more horses. From what he told us, I am confident that they were there only to plunder horses and as part of their goal to harass Loyalists. I believe that they didn't know about Miller's Army contract. But I did leave a detachment at the farm, in case the partisans decided to return to finish the job they'd started." After a slight pause, he concluded, "My recommendation is that a permanent garrison be assigned there to protect our interests."

"Thank your for your report, Colonel," Cornwallis said. "I concur that there must be a permanent garrison maintained at the Miller farm. I will make the necessary arrangements immediately, so that the remainder of your dragoons may rejoin you."

Turning to Wilkins, the general said, "Please accept my condolences for the tragedy visited upon your family."

"Thank you, sir," Wilkins replied quietly. "I have brought my sister and niece to reside at the fort for their own safety."

"Wise thinking," Cornwallis remarked. "I certainly hope they'll be comfortable here."

Returning his attention once again to Tavington, he said, "Good work, Colonel. Between you and Tarleton, we'll keep South Carolina firmly in our control and will soon be able to move on to North Carolina to do the same."

"Thank you, sir," Tavington replied, obviously pleased. "My desire is to strive to end this rebellion in the most expeditious manner possible." After a pause, he belatedly added, "And I am most fortunate to have two of the most able captains in the army assisting me in that endeavour."

"If you and Captain Wilkins will work together to compose a list of all the Loyalist families in the area, I'll pass it along to all units so that periodic checks can be made," the general said.

"Yes, sir, we'll start on it right away," Tavington said.

"That will be all, then, gentlemen," Cornwallis said. "You are dismissed."

As the three dragoons left the general's office, Tavington looked over at Bordon and had a sudden inspiration. "Bordon, why don't you go collect Mistress Miller and see that she is assigned suitable quarters while Wilkins and I work on that list. It may take us awhile, so make sure that she and her daughter have dinner as well."

"I'd be delighted sir," Bordon said, giving him a snappy salute in his eagerness to carry out this particular order.

"Excellent," Tavington responded. "Please also send my regrets to Mistress Tavington and tell her that I'll be along as soon as is practical."

"Right away, sir," Bordon said over his shoulder, as he was already hurrying off to do his superior officer's bidding.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_**Author's note: ** I've had a particularly rough week and I was afraid I'd not get this chapter posted in time. I ended up writing until about four this morning to get it done._

_Next chapter as yet unnamed._


	26. Bordon Makes Himself Useful

_Here's a chapter for the Bordon fans. Thanks to Janeen for her helpful suggestions._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

A loud knock came at the door of the Tavington suite as Charlotte and Mary were enjoying their tea over conversation. Susan was sitting on the floor on the opposite side of the room playing quietly with her doll, while Ruth had returned to the kitchen to take her tea with other servants.

Charlotte Tavington opened the door to find Captain Bordon standing there, bear fur crested helmet in hand, with an expectant smile on his face.

"Begging your pardon, Mistress Tavington, but the Colonel sent me to assist Mistress Miller in finding quarters and getting settled in."

"Do come in, Captain," Charlotte said amiably, moving aside to allow him entrance. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Thank you, but Colonel Tavington wanted me to handle this matter as expeditiously as possible," Bordon reported. "He also told me to advise you that he and Captain Wilkins are busy working on something for the Lord General, but that they would be along as soon as possible."

Setting her tea cup down, Mary rose from the sofa, standing several inches taller than Charlotte Tavington. "I _am_ eager to get settled as it's been a rather trying day," she said, giving the ginger-haired officer a hopeful smile. "Shall we go?"

"You two go ahead," Charlotte told Mary, while simultaneously smiling down at Susan. "Susan can stay here with me and we can get better acquainted while you're gone."

"Thank you, Charlotte," Mary said gratefully. "I truly appreciate it. We'll be able to get this done much more quickly if Susan can stay here."

As Bordon accompanied Mary down the veranda steps onto the fort grounds a couple of moments later, she gave him a grateful glance. "I want to thank you for taking time to help me get settled. Surely, there are other things you'd much prefer be doing right now."

"It's no trouble at all," he replied sincerely. "I am most happy to do anything in my power to help make your stay here a pleasant one."

As the two began walking across the compound, they met Ban Tarleton coming up from the stables, having just returned to the fort with his men.

"Ah, Bordon, where have you been hiding this lovely lady?" Tarleton called out when he was still a good distance from them, with the sun in his eyes. "You might give someone else a chance at her company."

As he came closer, he recognized her, remembering her from his recent trip to the Miller horse farm. "Mistress Miller," he said smoothly. "How nice to see you again. What brings you to our humble fort? Did you come to have a visit with your brother?"

"Later, Ban," Bordon warned, realizing that the other dragoon had yet to hear the news of the raid on the Miller farm. "Why don't you go up to the conference room and Colonel Tavington will fill you in on recent developments."

Tarleton caught the warning look in Bordon's eyes and cleared his throat. "Er, ah, yes, of course." Bowing gallantly in front of Mary as he swept his helmet off in a gentlemanly gesture, he murmured, "If you'll excuse me…"

"I'm sorry about that," Bordon apologized after Tarleton had moved on.

"It's not your fault," she assured him with a sad smile. "And I'm sure he meant no harm. If he's just returned to the fort, there's no way he could have heard the news about the raid."

"Still, I hate to see you upset," he insisted. "Such a lovely lady should not be unnecessary distressed."

"You're so kind and thoughtful, Captain Bordon," Mary said quietly, looking intently into his light green eyes.

"You must call me James," he invited, holding her gaze, mesmerized by her soulful brown eyes.

"James and Jim," she noted, laughing softly. "That must get rather confusing at times serving with my brother in such a close capacity."

"At times," he agreed, still smiling. "But we mainly go by our surnames with each other."

"If I'm calling you James, then you must call me Mary," she said. "I imagine we'll be seeing a lot of each other while I'm here, so there's no need to remain so formal with one another."

"Mary, it is, then!" Bordon said, delighted to see how friendly she was. He had reason to hope that after a period of mourning she would be receptive to his suit.

"I was hoping to be able to stay with my brother," Mary told him a moment later, changing the subject. "The Tavingtons have such spacious quarters and if Jim's are anything like that…"

"Oh, I'm afraid a Captain doesn't rank such nice quarters," Bordon replied, chuckling heartily. "Captain Wilkins and I each have tents down in the officers' area." He gestured to a large tent encampment a short distance beyond the stables.

"And I'm sure he wouldn't want you quartered near the men," the dragoon continued. "Nor would he want you among the tents where the lower ranks quarter their families, as they are quite close to where the…err, um…camp followers live who have, shall we say, less than sterling reputations."

"I see," Mary said, frowning. "So, where _can_ I live, then?"

"I was considering just that on my walk over to get you and I think I've come up with a suitable solution," he told her, as he led her in the direction of the stables.

"Oh?" Her curiosity was piqued.

"There's a carriage house behind the main stable, but closer to the main house than the tent encampment," Bordon explained. "Until a few days ago, one of the officers lived in the rooms upstairs with his wife and son. He's since moved his family back to Charles Town and I'd thought to commandeer the rooms for myself." As they reached the building in question, Bordon concluded, "But I think you need them more than I do."

"I'd hate to put you out," Mary declared. "I wouldn't want to inconvenience you."

"It's no inconvenience at all," he assured her. "It had been just an idle thought for me to move in there. I'm really better off where I am, so that I can be close by if the men need me."

"It _would_ be a more suitable place for Susan than living in the tent encampment," she mused.

"Why don't we go on up?" he suggested, leading the way.

"There's more space here than I expected," Mary said as she inspected the rooms a short time later, which had been left adequately furnished with simple, but sturdy furniture. "I think this will do quite nicely for Susan and I."

There was a surprisingly spacious sitting room, with two tiny bedrooms on either side of the stairway. The sitting room had two windows: one at front and another at back that overlooked the main house on one side and the tent encampment on the other.

As Mary stood looking out the window facing the main house, the tall dragoon came to stand beside her, "It's really a nice view," he remarked. "You can easily see the gardens if you look off to your right." Chuckling, he noted, "It's not a bad place if you can abide the pervasive odour of horses."

Mary gave him a broad smile as she laughed merrily. "After living on a horse farm all these years, I hardly even notice it," she said. "In fact, I'm sure I'd miss the aroma if it were not present."

"Ah, that's music to this old cavalryman's ears!" Bordon declared, grinning widely.

"Not quite so old!" Mary remarked, guessing that he must be somewhere close to her own age.

"I joined the cavalry when I was sixteen," he told her. "So it makes me feel rather old at times."

"I see," Mary replied briefly.

Walking to the other window, Bordon pointed to the left and said, "If you'll look this way at the two larger tents next to that big oak tree you'll see where your brother and I sleep."

Joining him at the window, she said, "That's not very far; no further than going to the main house."

After a long moment of companionable silence, Bordon said, "I should go find your pack horses and get a couple of men to bring your belongings up here."

"And I need to go collect Susan," she said as she followed the dragoon back down the stairs.

Bordon was pleased to find the two pack horses in question already waiting for them when they arrived back at the main house. Two dragoon privates were standing nearby chatting with the Tavingtons' maid, Ruth.

"Well, that saves me a bit of work," he commented in a low voice to Mary as they walked up to the group waiting by the horses.

"Mistress Tavington told me to go have the horses brought here, so they'd be ready by the time you got back," Ruth explained to Bordon. "These two soldiers kindly offered to help unload."

"Good work, men," Bordon said, acknowledging the two dragoons, though he knew they'd likely volunteered just to get a chance to ingratiate themselves with the attractive maid. "Take the horses over to the carriage house, then take the baggage to the upstairs rooms."

"We'll follow you over," Mary said decisively. "I'll wait until we're done to get Susan."

"Begging Mistress Miller's pardon, but why don't you and Miss Susan go have dinner?" Ruth suggested. "I'm sure you're quite hungry by now. I can supervise the unloading of your baggage."

"That's an excellent idea," Bordon said, giving the servant a grateful smile. "Colonel Tavington did say to make sure you'd had dinner. I can take both you and Susan to the officer's mess for dinner."

"I wouldn't want to inconvenience you," she demurred.

"It's no inconvenience at all," he assured her. "We'll have a quick dinner, then I'll escort you back to your new quarters where you can settle in for the night."

"All right, then, James," she said, smiling. "I'd be happy to accept your invitation."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Later that evening, William and Charlotte Tavington snuggled naked in bed together talking after an extended bout of lovemaking. Tavington particularly looked forward to returning to the fort after being out on patrol, as their couplings tended to be more lusty and satisfying after he'd spent time away from his wife.

Charlotte had surprised him by descending upon him almost immediately after he'd returned to their quarters. She'd taken his hand and almost before he'd known it, had begun to undress him, so eager she'd been to lie with him once again.

Once the afterglow of lovemaking had faded, they'd begun chatting about their day, as was frequently their habit. Charlotte turned to William and told him, "I think Captain Bordon is quite taken with Mary Miller. He was blushing like a schoolboy when he came over here to help her find quarters and could not take his eyes from her."

Laughing heartily, Tavington replied, "Was he _that_ obvious?"

"Oh, yes," Charlotte said. "I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd gone down on one knee and proposed to her right then and there."

Chortling gleefully again, Tavington confided, "I think it was love at first sight for him. Within five minutes of meeting her, he was already confiding in me that he was interested in courting her. And this was right after her husband had died!"

"Oh, my," Charlotte said. "Captain Bordon needs to take into consideration that not only did she lose her husband, but that she was also cruelly violated by one of the partisans."

"He's well aware," Tavington said heavily.

"And he's still interested in her, despite knowing she was brutally used by that barbarian?" Charlotte asked. "Many men would not be so understanding."

"Captain Bordon knows she is a virtuous woman and in no way invited what happened to her," Tavington assured her. "After all, she is Captain Wilkins' sister."

"But I do hope he'll give her sufficient time to heal and to grieve before making his intentions known," Charlotte insisted. "A woman doesn't get over such things overnight."

"He will," Tavington assured her. "He's one of the most patient men I've ever known. And in the meantime, he intends to be as helpful as he can to her in her time of mourning. I purposely gave him the assignment to help her find quarters in order to give him an opportunity to start getting to know her."

"William, you're a romantic!" Charlotte declared, smiling broadly. "I never thought you would have had it in you!"

"Bordon is a good man," her husband said. "And Mistress Miller will want to marry again and probably sooner rather than later. I figured she could do a lot worse than James Bordon. Really, it's a practical matter more than anything else."

"If you say so," Charlotte replied, laughing softly. "I believe I'll do my part as well to help the romance along, as I agree with you that Mary and Captain Bordon are a rather well-matched couple."

Rolling over to take Charlotte into his arms once again, Tavington murmured seductively, "Enough about Bordon's romance for now. We have one of our own to attend to."

"Bordon who?" Charlotte replied as she leaned into her husband's amorous embrace.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

After escorting Mary Miller and her daughter, Susan, back to their new quarters after dinner, James Bordon returned to his tent to freshen up before heading to the tent encampment to pay a visit to the camp whores.

Being around Mary for such an extended time had left the dragoon uncomfortably aroused and he knew he'd have to do something to relieve the tension so he'd be able to sleep tonight and properly concentrate on his duty tomorrow. He also needed the type of relief these camp followers could offer in order to be able to take the proper amount of time to allow Mary to grieve her husband and then to court her properly without seeming desperate.

Bordon did not visit the camp doxies as often as some of the men did, such as Banastre Tarleton, who visited nearly every night when he was at the fort. The dragoon captain usually waited until the sexual tension was interfering with his concentration before he sought release among the whores. The problem was, however, that sexual anxiety plagued him more often now than previously, and with Mary Miller living at the fort, Bordon was afraid that he'd now be right there with Ban Tarleton making nightly visits.

Some time later, the dragoon lifted the flap of Molly's tent to leave, now feeling relaxed and refreshed, his hair loose and blowing in the slight breeze. As he began to stroll in the direction of where his own tent was located, he nearly ran right into Ban Tarleton emerging from another tent nearby.

"Bordon!" Tarleton called out, as he stopped himself from colliding with the taller man at the last moment.

"Tarleton," the other man acknowledged briefly as they began walking up the path together.

"I'm sorry if I spoke out of turn earlier," Tarleton began. "I had no idea of what had happened at the Miller farm. I do hope that Mistress Miller will forgive me."

"Don't worry about it," Bordon replied. "She understood that you didn't know."

"Ah, but now she's single again," Ban noted. "And I sense that you feel more than merely protective of her." Noting the expression on Bordon's face, the auburn-haired dragoon pressed on, "You want her for yourself! I can tell from the look on your face." Clapping the other man on the back, he added, "I never knew you had it in you, Bordon! You're not wasting any time making your move! I couldn't have done any better myself!"

After giving the libertine officer a sour look, Bordon said, "It's not like that at all."

"Isn't it?" Tarleton demanded. "You looked at her as if you wanted to ravish her right there in front of me."

"I'm serious about her," Bordon told the Colonel quietly. "I think I've found the woman I want to marry."

Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes at the mention of marriage, Tarleton told him, "I wish you luck, then. But I don't think you're going to need luck, as the woman is just as taken with you as you are with her."

Bordon raised an eyebrow at this. "Are you certain?"

"Trust me on this," Tarleton assured him, "Who knows more about women than I do or has more experience? Mark my words, you'll be walking that one down the aisle very soon."

"I hope you're right," Bordon said, with a new spring in his step as they continued on.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_**Historical note:** Because of shorter life expectancies before the 20th century, it was not uncommon to be widowed at a relatively early age, when minor children were still present in the home. It was also common for people to remarry rather quickly, mainly for practical reasons rather than romantic ones. Women looked for another man to support them and their children and men looked for another woman to help raise his children so he could work to support them. They weren't looking to be madly in love first, but were satisfied to find a good man or woman they could imagine themselves loving somewhere down the line. _

_I was inspired by an example from my own family. One of my great-great grandfathers, who was a Confederate soldier and lived from 1825-1910, remarried rather quickly after his second wife died. He married his wife's sister who had also been recently widowed, and who had lived next door to them. I don't imagine they were suddenly madly in love, but they both had minor children at home, and as in-laws, knew one another well enough to make a go of it._


	27. Happy News

Two weeks later, Charlotte Tavington was awakened just before the sun came up by an upset stomach, as she had been every morning for nearly a week. She rolled over, trying to ignore the nausea, hoping she could get back to sleep. Though she remained very still, the nausea did not subside, but rather increased until her stomach was roiling.

Knowing there was nothing for it, Charlotte resigned herself to the inevitable. She eased herself carefully from the bed, hoping not to awaken William, who had returned late last night after being away for several days on patrol. Sprinting from the bed, she made it just in time to the chamber pot, which was on the floor near the wardrobe.

After she'd finished emptying the contents of her stomach into the chamber pot, she turned to find William quietly sitting up in bed, regarding her curiously.

"Oh, I'm sorry, love," she murmured. "I didn't mean to awaken you."

"How long have you had this problem?" he demanded, knowing full well what it implied.

"About a week, now, I think," she replied softly.

"And your last…um, err…flux?" he asked, somewhat embarrassed to be talking about a woman's private bodily functions, even his own wife's.

"I've missed two," she told him. "I think I might be with child."

"I'm going to be a father?" Tavington asked softly, trying his best not to grin stupidly.

"It appears so," Charlotte said quietly, as she came to sit on the bed beside her now-alert husband. "But I'm not entirely sure and I've yet to visit a midwife."

"I'm sure there's at least one in camp, what with all the brats…err, children…the lower ranks tend to breed in great profusion," Tavington said. "If not, then I'll take you to see one of our doctors." Leaning over to kiss his wife thoroughly, he added, "I'm surprised that Ruth or Mary Miller did not get you to a midwife already."

"Well, I've only been sick in the mornings so far, so I've been able to conceal it from them," she told her husband. "I wanted you to be the first one to know."

Putting a gentle hand on his arm, she confided, "It's hard for me to believe I'm truly with child. After my baby boy died so long ago and after John died, I'd given up on the dream that I'd ever have another child of my own. I suppose that's the real reason why I've not sought out a midwife yet."

Looking intently into his eyes, she murmured, "I'm sorry I never talked to you about the baby I lost, but it's still very painful to me, even after all these years."

"It's all right, love," Tavington said softly, holding her in his arms as he rubbed her back to soothe her. "I already knew about the baby - Wilkins told me quite some time ago - and I knew you'd tell me about him when you were ready to talk about it."

The couple did not speak for a long moment as Tavington leaned in to give her a gentle kiss. After their lips had reluctantly parted, he said, "I'd thought you'd made me the happiest of men when you consented to be my wife. But you've gone and done it again by telling me that you are carrying my child."

"No happier than I am," she said, smiling. "I can hardly wait to hold our baby in my arms."

"Right after breakfast, I'll send Ruth to find a midwife and bring her here to have a look at you," Tavington decided. "But for now, let's try to get some rest. You'll need to get all the rest you can from now on until the baby is born."

A few hours later, the Tavingtons descended the stairs to go to breakfast, both almost glowing with their as-yet untold happy news. However, they'd decided not to share the news of their impending parenthood until Charlotte had been examined by a midwife, because they wanted to be absolutely sure first.

As they left the mansion to head to the officers' mess, they met Ruth in the compound heading to her own breakfast with the other house servants. Ruth normally stopped by the Tavington suite early in the mornings to see if Charlotte needed anything on the days when Tavington was away, but did not come by until later on the days he was in residence, as she did not wish to interrupt their privacy.

"Ruth," Tavington called out haughtily to the passing servant. "I need to have a word with you before you have your breakfast."

"Y-yes, sir?" she asked, somewhat unnerved by his imperious tone. Normally, Colonel Tavington did not directly address her, as she was properly his wife's personal servant. Ruth had heard stories of the dragoon's potentially vile temper and silently prayed that she was not able to be at the receiving end of it. However, she couldn't think of what she could have possibly done to warrant such a thing.

Taking her aside, he asked in a lower voice, "Do you know where a midwife can be found within the fort?"

"There's at least a couple that I've heard tell of," she said slowly, after a moment's thought. Looking over at Charlotte, who was still beaming with happiness, she asked, "Miss Charlotte! Is she…?"

"Yes, yes, we think so," Tavington said impatiently. "But I need someone to come examine her to make sure. What I need you to do is to go find one of these midwives after you've had your breakfast and bring her back to our quarters. Preferably, you will bring the one who delivers the babies of officers' wives, rather than one who tends to the wives of the lower ranks or to the camp whores."

"Of course, sir!" Ruth agreed emphatically. "Nothin' but the best for Miss Charlotte!"

Tavington gave the servant an indulgent smile, then held one finger up to his lips. "But not a word of it to anyone else. We wish to keep the matter confidential until we know for sure."

"You can count on me, Colonel Tavington," Ruth said stoutly. "I won't mention it to anyone."

"Excellent," Tavington said smoothly. "We shall expect you and the midwife back at our quarters in about an hour or so."

A short time later, Tavington paced the floor as he waited for the midwife to finish examining Charlotte. He was more worried about Charlotte's pregnancy than he cared to admit out loud. Wilkins had told him that Charlotte's baby had not died from some random fever gong around, but had been born sickly. The fact that she and Selton had never had another child together, living or dead, also troubled him. Though he was delighted that Charlotte had conceived was likely going to give him an heir, he'd resigned himself to the possibility of this never happening, even before he'd married her. As he continued to pace and brood, he nevertheless hoped that the weakness that caused Charlotte to lose her baby had come from Selton, rather than her.

"Begging your pardon, Colonel, but you're going to wear a hole in the carpet if you keep pacing like that," Ruth said, as she waited on the couch for the results. In a gentler tone of voice, she added, "I'm sure Miss Charlotte will be just fine and the baby, too."

"I certainly hope that you are correct," Tavington said, unconvinced, as he still continuing to pace.

"You have to consider that Miss Charlotte's sister had seven children," Ruth pointed out sensibly "There's no reason to think that Miss Charlotte won't have some healthy children as well. What was wrong with her first baby probably had to do more with Mr Selton's family than it did with her."

Tavington stopped pacing and looked intently at Ruth. "That is exactly what I was thinking. It is almost as if you could read my mind."

"It's just common sense," she insisted, brushing aside any ridiculous notions of reading another person's mind. "I don't think you have anything to worry about"

At that moment, the door opened and the middle-aged midwife came into the sitting room.

Tavington turned to Ruth and said, "Why don't you go in there and see if Mistress Tavington needs anything."

After the servant had complied, the dragoon turned to the midwife, who was wiping her hands off with a towel. "Well?" he demanded. "How is she? She did tell you that she lost the child she had with her first husband, did she not?"

Looking directly at Tavington, the midwife told him, "Mistress Tavington is most definitely with child; about three months along, I'd say. She's in good health and there's no reason for her not to deliver a healthy baby this time, just as long as she takes it easy and doesn't work too hard for the next six months."

"You will keep a close watch on her?" he asked.

Judith Brown had heard the stories about the hard-bitten "Butcher", as had most people within the fort and in the countryside for miles around, but the expression on Tavington's face now was like that of any other concerned father.

Softening her own expression toward him, Judith laid a gentle hand on his arm for a brief moment, then said, "Of course I will. I want to see a healthy baby just as much as you do. I'll be available to her any time she needs me, if she has a question or a problem."

"That's all I ask," he said, mostly relieved at her words.

"I'll be back to check on her from time to time," the midwife told him briskly. "I'll be here more often as her time draws closer."

Ruth came out a moment later, after the midwife had left. "Miss Charlotte is just freshening up a bit, so I'll leave you both to your privacy, unless there's something else you need me to do.."

"Thank you, Ruth," he said sincerely. "There's nothing. You may go."

Ruth hurried down the stairs after leaving the Tavingtons' suite, eager to share the news. Miss Charlotte had given her leave to do so, now that the news was official. As she headed out back to the kitchen, she met Molly coming out of the kitchen building.

"I saw you going upstairs to the Tavingtons' rooms with one of the midwives," Molly stated directly, without the preamble of a greeting. "I suppose that means what I think it means?"

"Yes," Ruth replied briefly, wanting to get away from Molly as soon as possible, as she didn't care to be seen in the other woman's company. Molly was known throughout the fort as a woman of easy virtue and Ruth certainly didn't want to be tarred with the same brush. "Miss Charlotte is with child."

"Well, isn't that quite the coincidence," Molly said, with a slight sneer. "My flux is late and I might be in the same boat myself." With a gleeful snigger, she confided, "And by the same man as well, I'd wager!" Laughing again, she continued, "I wonder if I should go upstairs and share that bit of news with her? I wonder what she'd think to know that her man has been dipping his wick elsewhere?"

"Oh, you horrid thing!" Ruth exclaimed, wanting to slap her. But she knew that Molly likely spoke the truth about having been with Tavington. A man with such raw sexuality exuding from him, could not possibly confine it to just one woman, however he might love her. Nevertheless, she wasn't going to allow a slattern like Molly needlessly ruin the Tavingtons' marriage, either.

Staring down at the shorter, more voluptuous woman, Ruth narrowed her eyes in sheer loathing. "No one would believe you!," she exclaimed. "Everyone knows you've been with nearly every officer in camp! There's no real way for you to know who the father would be!" She stepped closer to the other woman and glared down at her. "And you know they'd just throw you out of the fort if you were to do that. You're just lucky they let you stay here at all!"

Knowing that Ruth was right, Molly backed down. She knew she needed to have George Hanger's protection if she were to remain at the fort and knew he'd not be too keen on her meddling into the Tavingtons' marriage. Besides, she'd never get the Colonel to roger her again if she upset his wife. "All right, you've made your point!" Molly nearly screeched. "I won't do it! I was just jesting, in any instance."

"If you're finished, I have better things to be doing that talking to the likes of you," Ruth snapped, leaving Molly looking after her as she hurried away in high dudgeon.

Several hours later, the Tavingtons sat in Mary Miller's sitting room, surrounded by his top officers and good friends. As soon as Mary Miller had heard the good news of Charlotte's pregnancy, she'd insisted on giving them a congratulatory dinner.

Now, as they all sat enjoying after dinner drinks, James Bordon raised his glass and gave a toast. "To the expectant couple! May this be the first of a big family!"

After everyone clinked their glasses together and took a drink, Bordon gave Mary a longing glace, imagining such a party given in their honour. She was intent on the Tavingtons, oblivious to his scrutiny, but he just enjoyed being with her under any circumstances, basking in her mere presence.

At that moment, a sharp knock came at the door. Telling Mary to remain seated, Bordon rose to answer it to find a young soldier standing there, glancing around nervously.

"Begging your pardon, Captain, but Colonel Tavington and Colonel Tarleton are needed right away in the General Cornwallis' office."

Tavington looked in the direction of the open door and called out, "Tell the Lord General we'll be there shortly."

"Yes, sir," the young man said, then hurried away.

Rising reluctantly from the sofa, Tavington bent to kiss his wife. "I'm sorry, my sweet, but duty calls. With any luck, it won't take long, so you might as well stay and enjoy yourself."

"Go ahead," she said, smiling as she squeezed his hand. "We'll be fine."

Tavington hopes for a quick meeting were dashed when he entered Cornwallis' office a few minutes later and found the commanders of the various infantry units there along with him and Ban Tarleton.

"Gentleman, I've just received word that General Gates has moved a large number of men from Rugeley's Mill in the direction of Camden," he told the assembled group. "As most of you know, he's been amassing a force since arriving at Rugeley's from Charlotte a couple of weeks ago."

After a pause, he continued, "I can only assume that he intends to attack Lord Rawdon's garrison in Camden in order to control the town. Our goal is to stop him before he reaches Camden."

Looking at each commander in turn, he concluded, "I need all of you to have your men ready to move out within 90 minutes, so that we can reach his force in time to engage them before they reach Camden."

An hour and a half later, Tavington swung up into the saddle after giving Charlotte a long, lingering kiss.

"Don't worry, love," he said, looking down at her, seeing the worry in her face. "I'll be back before you know it."

"You'll be in my thoughts and prayers until I see you riding back inside the gates," she murmured, reaching a hand up to him.

"And I'll be thinking of you waiting here for me," he said, giving her hand a tight squeeze in farewell. "I want you to get plenty of rest while I"m gone - remember what the midwife told you."

"I'm sure Mary won't let me do a thing," she assured him with a shaky laugh.

After one long, lingering glance at his expectant wife, Tavington released her hand, raising it up to give the signal to his men to proceed.

"Move out!" he bawled, looking back at Charlotte just once as he led the dragoon column out of the gates of the fort.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_**Historical note:** The details about the upcoming battle are from the actual Battle of Camden, which took place in August of 1780_. _I compressed Cornwallis' response time to Gates' movements somewhat, as Cornwallis had to travel up all the way from Charleston in the actual events._


	28. A Long Night

_**Thanks to JScorpio for her suggestions for this chapter**._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

As Charlotte Tavington watched William and Ban Tarleton lead the long column of dragoons out of the fort, with Captains Bordon and Wilkins side by side behind them, Mary Miller came to stand beside her to watch the procession depart. Soldiers on foot followed the cavalrymen, with a smaller detachment of dragoons bringing up the rear, led by Major George Hanger.

Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled faintly in the distance as the women continued to watch soldiers exit the fort. Dusk had turned into evening as the coral and violet sky created by the setting sun deepened into a purplish blue by the time the gates closed behind the last men to leave the fort.

"I believe it's going to rain," Charlotte observed as she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket to mop her damp forehead.

"It's been so humid lately that I'd not be surprised if it did," Mary agreed. "Rain would be a real blessing right now."

Both women wore shortgowns with their petticoats, rather than the more dressy _robe a l'anglaise _gowns in order to try to stay a bit cooler in the broiling August temperatures. Unfortunately, it was only a slight respite from the oppressive heat.

Looking up again at the ominous sky after a flash of lightning, Mary said, "I hate to think of the men out in the rain. It's bad enough, they decided to travel at night, now they'll be wet, too."

"It's better for them to move at night in the summer," Charlotte told the other woman. "It's not quite so hot then and they can make better progress. Remember, they're wearing wool uniforms."

"You're right," Mary conceded. "And I can't imagine wearing the buckskin breeches the dragoons sometimes wear when it's as hot as its been lately."

"William told me that leather breeches help keep their legs from being torn up when they're passing through heavy underbrush," Charlotte said. "He said it's well worth wearing them."

"I see you've asked the Colonel a lot about his job," Mary said, laughing. "You seem to know quite a bit about being a dragoon."

"I've always believed that it's good for a wife to take a sincere interest in what her husband does," Charlotte opined. "It tend to bring a couple closer together when a husband knows his wife supports him."

"That's true," Mary agreed.

"And, besides," Charlotte confided, "I'm truly interested. I think if I'd been born a man, I would have liked to have been a dragoon."

"It does sound exciting," the other woman ventured. "Much more exciting than being a foot soldier and plodding through the mud."

A loud clap of thunder, followed by large droplets of rain pelting down interrupted their conversation.

Both women lifted their petticoats above their ankles, then rushed up the steps of the main house to the veranda, with Mary urging Susan along.

"Whew, we just made it," Mary said, shivering, as they reached the top of the steps just as a heavy downpour commenced.

"Let's stay out here for awhile," Charlotte suggested. "I just love to watch a thunderstorm." Inhaling deeply, she added, "Everything smells so fresh when it rains, plus it's much cooler out here than it would be back in our respective rooms."

"That's for certain," Mary said. "Our rooms have been like an oven for the last few days, even late at night with the windows open."

"Mother, may I take off my shoes and go splashing in the rain?" Susan asked, a hopeful expression on her face.

"I think not, dear," Mary said, frowning. "It's not safe with the lightning." Pointing to a bench on far end of the veranda, she said, "Why don't you go sit down and watch the storm from there.?"

After the little girl obeyed and was out of earshot, Mary turned to Charlotte and murmured in a tremulous voice, "My flux finally came this morning. I'm not with child!"

"Oh, I'm so relieved," Charlotte said, smiling. "I knew the possibility was weighing heavily on your mind these last couple of weeks."

"I want to be able to put that ugly business behind me," Mary said quietly. "And now I'll be able to do that in time."

Putting a hand on Charlotte's arm, she confided, "I'm not sure what I would have done if I'd conceived. I don't know if I would have ever been able to love a child conceived in violence. I was of a mind to give the baby away to a childless couple if I'd ended up with child."

She turned away from the other woman, almost ashamed of the feelings she'd admitted.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of," Charlotte reassured her. "I've never been in your shoes, but I think I would have wanted to do the same thing if it had happened to me."

"Pray to God that you never know what it's like to be in my shoes," Mary stated vehemently. "It's not something I'd wish on my worst enemy."

The women fell silent for a few moments as they leaned against the railing while they continued to watch the lightning flash and listen to the thunder boom, now at increasingly longer intervals.

Looking over at Susan, Mary said, "Look, Susan's fallen asleep. Even when she was a baby, a thunderstorm would always lull her to sleep. It's uncanny, really."

Charlotte sighed at the mention of Susan as a baby. "I can't wait to watch my own baby sleep," she said dreamily. "It's something I've longed for ever since losing my first baby."

Noting Charlotte's pensive expression, Mary said, "And you will, sooner than you know."

"I just hope this baby lives," Charlotte told her. "It's something I worry about."

"You must have faith," Mary said firmly. "There's no reason to think you won't have a healthy baby. You're in good health, so your baby should be as well. And Colonel Tavington is so robust and strong; I can't imagine that any child of his could possibly be born sickly."

Charlotte laughed, then smiled at the mention of her husband. "You do have a point."

Glancing again at Susan, Mary confided, "I always wanted to have more children, but after Thomas nearly died with a fever shortly after Susan's birth, I never conceived any others."

"You're still a young woman," Charlotte pointed out. "Before long, you'll want to remarry and I'm sure you'll have more children then."

"I know I'll need to remarry sooner rather than later," Mary said slowly. "Susan needs a father, and I need the support and companionship of a man. Thomas wouldn't have wanted me to become a martyr and grieve for him forever."

"Well, there's certainly no lack of eligible bachelors here at the fort," Charlotte pointed out.

"That's for certain," Mary said, blushing.

Smiling broadly, Charlotte asked, "Are there any who have caught your eye yet?"

"Wellllll, Captain Bordon seems quite nice," Mary admitted shyly. "He's been quite helpful to me since I've been at the fort." After a moment, she added, "And I think he's rather handsome; so tall with those nice broad shoulders. His eyes are also a lively shade of green…"

"Been gazing into his eyes already, have you?" Charlotte teased. "I've noticed him looking at you several times as well. I think he's quite smitten with you."

"Is he really?" Mary demanded eagerly.

"Oh, yes, I'm sure of it." Charlotte insisted. "You give him any encouragement and he'll be courting you seriously. Mark my words."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"I don't know what's worse: being soaked with rain or being soaked in sweat," Banastre Tarleton complained to William Tavington as they led the dragoon column down the dark, muddy road as the rain came down in torrents.

"How about being soaked in rain AND sweat?" Tavington said, smirking. "But I suppose I'd choose being soaked with rain - at least we smell better that way. And the storm has made it noticeably cooler."

"But it's still terribly humid," Tarleton pointed out.

"And muddy," Wilkins put in. "If the rain keeps up much longer, it will be a real quagmire."

"If it's like any of the other thunderstorms we've had recently, it shouldn't," Tavington said reasonably. "I can't imagine it will last much longer."

"Bordon!" Tarleton called out suddenly, looking behind him. "Are you awake back there?"

Bordon hadn't said much since leaving the fort. He'd been thinking of Mary wishing him luck then watching him as he'd left the fort with the other dragoons. He wondered if she was thinking of him now and was glad she was somewhere where it was safe and dry.

"Err, ah, I'm awake," Bordon finally replied. "I was thinking of the battle ahead and wondering which dragoon units we'll be dealing with."

Tavington turned his head and gave Bordon a knowing look. He knew what his junior officer had really been thinking about, but decided to let it pass, as he knew that Bordon wasn't ready to declare his intentions toward Mary Miller just yet.

"The Lord General said it would be Armand's Legion," Tavington told him. "I don't believe we've ever fought them before."

"We'll make short work of them just as I did with Billy Washington's dragoons at Moncks Corner," Ban Tarleton vowed. "There's not a rebel dragoon unit that can equal my dragoons or yours, Tavington."

"It should be easy work," Tavington agreed. "We've also got some of the best infantry units in the entire army with us, which should help us to give those rebel upstarts a good thrashing."

The four dragoons fell silent then, each returning to their own private thoughts. They'd be riding all night in unpleasant weather, so they wanted to preserve as much energy as possible for the battle ahead.

As the rain began to abate a short time later, William Tavington's thoughts returned to Charlotte and the news of their impending parenthood:

"_Bloody inconvenient to have to go and fight a battle now. I find out just today that I'm to become a father and then I have to leave Charlotte the very same night. Damned rebels_.

_I know she's concerned about whether our baby will be born healthy because of her first baby_. _I don't imagine she'll really stop worrying until she holds him in her arms._ _But I didn't expect her to get pregnant so soon after our wedding, though I probably shouldn't be so surprised, considering the reputation we Tavington men have for virility_. _She's worrying for nothing - I'll bet we'll have a houseful of children in ten years' time_."

As Tavington was mentally congratulating himself for his own virility, Banastre Tarleton's mind was also wandering:

"_Why did Gates have to pick tonight to start moving toward Camden? He's been dawdling for weeks in Charlotte and he has to start moving in the middle of a bloody thunderstorm! _

_I finally get enough blunt together to get a good card game going, so I can win some back that I've lost recently, and I end up having to go out to teach the rebels a lesson yet again. What's the matter with them? Are they all feeble-minded? Didn't they learn their lesson the many other times I've trounced them? Well, at least all the men who would have been in the game tonight are out here slogging through the mud as well._

_And I'm not any happier about not getting any tail tonight. I had three of them waiting for me tonight! Ah, well, they'll still be there when I get back. And maybe I'll find a willing miss to roger in Camden. I always find amiable women wherever I go, that's for sure."_

Looking over at Tavington riding beside him, Ban's mind turned to the Tavingtons' happy news:

"_Tavington's really shackled now! First, he actually gets married, then he gets careless and his wife gets pregnant! Better him than me, though. I'm very lucky not to have sired any by-blows since I've been here in the Colonies - none that I know of, at least."_

James Bordon was also deep in thought as the dragoon column proceeded onward:

"_I hated to leave Mary tonight. I finally am given an excuse to spend some extended time with her and we end up getting called away to a battle! What bloody rotten luck! But I think she likes me, at least a little. When she told Wilkins and I good luck and to come back safely, she was looking at me and not him when she said it. I hope this battle doesn't take long and that we give the rebels a devil of a whipping, so that I can get back to the fort as quickly as possible to see Mary. Heaven help me; I am completely besotted with that woman!"_

James Wilkins, however, was not ruminating as his fellow officers were. He was exhausted from having paid a visit to the camp followers' tents before going to the Tavingtons' congratulatory dinner. Now that the rain had slacked off, he'd been lulled to sleep by the regular movement of his horse's trotting and was now dozing in the saddle, as were several of the dragoons around him. The horses, however, simply followed the group, not allowing their riders to go astray.

A few hours later, not long before dawn, the two Colonels called for a short rest period, as they knew that Gates' army could not be much further ahead. They were already a couple of miles north of Camden, and expected to encounter the vanguard of his army before too long. The rain had stopped quite some time ago, and it was now foggy and misty as well as muggy.

As the four officers dismounted to stretch their legs, other dragoons checked their weapons, tended to any last minute needs their horses might have, with several going off into the brush to answer the call of nature. Some ate what little food they'd brought with them.

Within fifteen minutes, they were on their way again. A group of lower ranking dragoons moved ahead of the officers to take the point as Tavington gave the signal to move out.

A couple of miles later, as the half-light of dawn filtered through the trees. Tavington heard the crack of a pistol's report ahead. As he and Tarleton moved closer to investigate, they saw the dim forms of dragoons approaching from the other direction.

"It seems as if we've found Gates' army," Tarleton pointed out, as shots from more pistols and carbines were heard.

"They must be Armand's dragoons," Tavington replied, as he noted the uniforms they wore.

"Let's get 'em, Will!" Tarleton exclaimed. "Let's charge - they'll never know what hit them!"

"I agree," Tavington agreed. "Let's go!"

After both men each raised a hand to give their men the signal to charge, the British dragoons of both units thundered ahead to confront the enemy horsemen.

For several long minutes, it was a jumbled melee of fighting, with sabres swinging and flashing in the early morning light, accompanied by the occasional crack of pistol and carbine fire. Within a short time, Tavington's and Tarleton's men had driven most of Armand's dragoons back, through superiority of both numbers and skill.

"Yes!" Tarleton crowed, pumping his fist in the air. "Keep after them, boys!"

After cutting one man down with his sabre, Tavington turned to see Bordon far ahead struggling to fight two rebel dragoons and having a bad time of it. He spurred his horse to go to Bordon's aid, but before he could reach his second in command, one of the rebel horsemen lunged and impaled Bordon through the right shoulder. Just as quickly he yanked his sabre out, toppling the British dragoon from his horse.

By this time, Tavington had reached Bordon to confront the enemy dragoons, with Wilkins coming in from the other side. Both of the rebels turned to beat a hasty retreat, after belatedly noticing that most of their comrades in arms had already fled and the two British dragoons were rapidly closing on them.

But it was too late for them. Almost as if they'd choreographed it beforehand, Tavington swung his sabre at the dragoon who'd injured Bordon, impaling him through the chest, while Wilkins did likewise with the other horsemen.

After yanking his sabre out of the enemy soldier's chest, Tavington used the sabre along with his foot to shove the man off his horse, then grabbed the reins. Wilkins did likewise, after which the two dragoons rushed back to where Bordon sprawled on the ground, each leading a plundered horse.

"Do you think you can mount?" Tavington asked Bordon, who was now sitting up, bracing himself with his good arm.

"I think, so, sir," Bordon replied. "I broke my wrist when I fell, but I'm lucky that the rebel bastard wasn't that good of a swordsman. He missed the bone and I'm fairly certain he missed the big artery, if the amount of blood I'm producing is any indication." Wincing visibly as he got to his feet shakily, he added, "But I believe I'll need a bit of assistance."

As Bordon used his uninjured hand to grab onto his patiently waiting horse, Tavington gave him a boost from behind, while Wilkins grabbed onto his uniform from the other side. Between the three men's efforts, Bordon was soon seated upon his horse once again.

At that moment, gunfire erupted from the woods, which turned out to be coming from rebel infantry.

Tavington gave the order to fall back and let the infantry come through to deal with the enemy foot soldiers, while the dragoons regrouped to stand in reserve to wait until they were needed again. The three dragoons hurried to the rear, along with the rest of the dragoons, with Tavington and Wilkins flanking the injured Bordon to make sure he made it back safely.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

**Historical Notes:**

_See my companion blog entry, "Charlotte's and Mary's Summer Clothes" to see images of a shortgown and a robe a l'anglaise. My blog can be accessed through a link in my profile._

_During the Southern Campaign, troops often did move at night for the reasons Charlotte gave. Likewise, dragoons often also wore leather breeches for the reasons given._

_Armand's Legion, was a Continental unit comprised of both cavalry and infantry, just as Tarleton's Legion was. It contained mainly foreign volunteers and was commanded by a Frenchman, __Charles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la Rouërie. He was commonly known as "Colonel Armand" while serving in this war. Armand's Legion saw action in the battles of Camden, Guilford Courthouse, and Yorktown._

_"Blunt" is 18th century slang for money._

_Lt. Colonel William Washington, who was George Washington's second cousin, was Tarleton's opposite number in several battles during the Southern Campaign. Banastre Tarleton did indeed soundly defeat forces at Moncks Corner, capturing 400 dragoon horses and a hundred men. William Washington fled for his life through the swamps nearby.  
_

_It was not uncommon for dragoons to doze in the saddle when on a long march, just as Captain Wilkins did._

_The skirmish between the two opposing dragoon units that preceded the main Battle of Camden is true and went down pretty much as I described it.  
_


	29. An Admission

Captain James Bordon was tight-lipped in pain by the time he'd made it to the rear of the main forces, with Colonel Tavington and Captain Wilkins assisting him. He suppressed the urge to moan, with the only signs of his distress being the grimace on his face and his right arm hanging awkwardly by his side.

By the time the dragoons had reached the rear, the doctor and his assistants had set up an area to treat the expected wounded. Wagons lined with a layer of hay stood by, waiting to transport the wounded back to camp.

"Over here, Bordon," Tavington said, pointing to where the doctor was setting up a folding table and chairs under a hastily erected canvas canopy. "It looks as if the doctor is ready for you."

The dragoon captain rode carefully over to the medical tent, with Tavington and Wilkins still on either side of him, ready to assist if need be.

Looking up at the three dragoons, Dr Silas Carpenter looked up a Bordon's torn and bloody sleeve. "Sabre wound?"

"Yes," Bordon confirmed. "I think I also have a broken wrist from when I fell from my horse."

Motioning two of his assistants over, the doctor said, "Let us help you down from your horse, so you don't jar your injuries too much."

"Gladly," Bordon acknowledged, heaving a loud sigh.

After Dr Carpenter and his helpers had assisted Bordon in dismounting and his horse had been tied to a nearby tree, Tavington looked down at his second in command and said, "You look as if you're in good hands." Turning his horse, he continued, "We'll come check on you later after the battle."

"Go ahead," Bordon said. "I'll be fine."

After Tavington and Wilkins had ridden off to rejoin the other dragoons, the doctor led Bordon over to one of the folding chairs, indicating that he should sit.

"Now, then, Captain, let's have a look at you," Dr Carpenter said briskly, as he took a pair of scissors to Bordon's sleeve. "I need to have a closer look."

Once enough of the sleeve was cut away, the doctor warned, "This may hurt a bit."

Bordon steeled himself for the throbbing pain that commenced the moment the doctor began probing the wound. Thankfully, it did not take him long to find what he was looking for.

Looking up at the dragoon, Dr Carpenter said, "You're a very lucky man, Captain. The cut missed the main artery in your arm, as well as missing the bone. You've got some muscular damage that will require you to stay at the fort and rest for a few weeks, but you should regain full use of your arm."

Checking the wrist next, the doctor said, "Your wrist has a minor fracture. I'll put some splints on it, then put your entire arm in a sling, which will protect your injuries well enough until you can get back to the fort."

"Thank you doctor," Bordon said, as beads of sweat stood out on his forehead, more from the stress of the pain than the air temperature.

As the doctor busied himself with tying the splints to the dragoon's wrist and rummaging around for some cloth to use as a sling, James Bordon smiled to himself as he realized that his convalescent time would give him the perfect opportunity to spend time with Mary! He hoped that by the time he was fit for duty again that he would have gained Mary's heart and perhaps, her consent to marry him.

Dr Carpenter interrupted his ruminations. Holding out a small bottle of laudanum to him, he instructed, "Here. Take a small swallow now to take the edge off the pain. Be careful not to drink too much as you still want to be able to ride back to the fort."

Bordon gratefully took a small swallow, then asked, "May I keep the bottle?"

"You may," the doctor allowed. "There's not all that much left inside, but it should be the right amount to see you back to the fort, when you'll be checked over once again in the camp hospital."

As Bordon put the bottle in his pocket, the other man warned, "Be sure to dole it out in sparing doses so it will last." Before turning to attend to other soldiers slowly trickling in to the aid station, he told him, "You might as well try to get a bit of a nap. There's no telling how long the battle will last and you need to get some rest wherever you can."

Bordon staggered back to his horse, then eased himself down to sit on the ground, leaning against the tree to which his horse was tethered. He shifted position several times, thinking he'd not be able to fall asleep because of the pain, but exhaustion soon won over and he was snoring softly within a short time.

About an hour later, Ban Tarleton rode up to Tavington with an exhilarated smile on his face. "Look at 'em run, Will! I don't think I've ever seen them run any faster than I've seen them run today."

Tavington chuckled lowly as Tarleton jeered at the retreating Continentals and rebel militia. "And I hear that Gates is twenty miles ahead of his men, running as fast as his horse can carry him back to Charlotte."

Both men brayed with laughter, imagining Gates fleeing with his tail tucked between his legs.

"No wonder they lost, being led by such a craven coward!" Tavington sneered. "At least De Kalb stayed and fought and ended up paying with his life!"

"A brave man," Tarleton agreed. A moment later, he suggested, "Let's chase them down and nip at their heels at bit. In their haste to get away, I'm sure they're dumping all excess gear by the side of the road, plus I'm sure they'll not bother to collect their baggage train on the way out of here, either. We'll bring along some infantry riding double and it will be a perfect opportunity to do some plundering!"

"Right you are," Tavington readily agreed. "Sounds like a good plan."

At that moment, Wilkins rode up to survey the fleeing enemy with the two Colonels. As he reached their side, Tavington turned to him and said, "We're going to pursue the enemy to harass them a bit and see what kind of plunder we can come up with. But I want you to go back and accompany Bordon back to the fort and make sure he gets there with no problems. The General wanted me to send a few of my men to accompany and protect the wagons carrying the wounded, so I'm putting you in charge of that detail."

"Yes, sir," Wilkins said, giving a brief salute, before turning his horse to hurry to the rear to collect Bordon.

A short time later, Jim Wilkins rode up to the aid station, accompanied by several dragoons he'd handpicked for the escort detail back to the fort.

Most of the wounded had already been loaded into the waiting wagons, so Wilkins ordered the dragoons with him to get into position and be ready to move out. As they moved to obey, he spotted Bordon, still leaning against the tree, trying to doze.

Bordon opened his eyes as Wilkins dismounted, then tethered his horse to a nearby tree.

"Back already?" he said, wincing slightly in pain, as he awkwardly regained his feet by bracing himself against the tree trunk. "That didn't take long."

"Oh, you should have seen it!" Wilkins enthused. "We broke their lines with hardly any effort at all! It was practically child's play! They're all running for the hills as fast as their legs can carry them, with Gates being the first one to run!"

"I wish I could have seen it," Bordon said. "If it was anything like the initial dragoon battle, then it must have been quite a sight!" After a pause, he asked, "Where's the Colonel?"

"Oh, he and Colonel Tarleton decided to chase the retreating Continentals to see how much plunder they can gather," Wilkins told him. "He's sure their baggage train isn't too far to their rear and at the rate they were running, they won't bother to try to retrieve it. They intend to harass the running rebels as much as is practical as well to make them think twice about fighting us again."

"Too bad we're going to miss the fun, then," Bordon said ruefully.

"Quite," Wilkins agreed. "Well. Are you about ready to get going then? It looks as if the medical train is nearly ready to move out."

"I believe so," Bordon replied. "But I'll need your help in mounting again. The doctor gave me some laudanum, but warned me not to take too much of it so that I'll still be able to ride."

"Do you think you might want to ride in one of the wagons?" Wilkins asked.

Bordon shuddered visibly at the notion of that. "No, most definitely not," he said emphatically. "The wagons should be reserved for those who are severely wounded and can't walk. I don't want to take up space that could go to a man who really needed it when I am perfectly capable of riding." He didn't voice the thought that he also didn't want to be surrounded by the miasma of odour and profusion of bodily fluids and excretions typically found among the badly wounded.

"All right, then," Wilkins said slowly. Gesturing to a passing soldier, the two men helped Bordon to mount once again.

A few minutes later, the two dragoons had taken their places near the front of the column, then Wilkins gave the order to move out.

For quite awhile, the men rode in companionable silence. Bordon concentrated on his riding until he fell into a rhythm where he could manage the pain. About two miles into the journey, he took another small sip of laudanum, which helped him to relax into the saddle.

Wilkins busied himself for a short time to make sure the men were doing their duty, and sent a couple of dragoons to reconnoiter ahead and in the woods on either side of the road to make sure they weren't being shadowed by partisans. After a short time, he was fairly well satisfied that the road heading south was reasonably safe; that most rebels were rapidly heading north at the moment.

As they continued along at an easy trot, Bordon began daydreaming about Mary, imagining her fussing over him during his time of convalescence at the fort. A dreamy half-smile appeared on his face, as his imagination continued to visualize a deepening intimacy between himself and the attractive widow.

"What is it, Bordon?" Wilkins demanded, interrupting Bordon's pleasant reverie. "You look as if you've died and gone to paradise."

Bordon paused for a long moment before answering. He'd hesitated in mentioning his interest in Mary to her brother, as she'd been so recently widowed. But he knew he had to tell him some time, and he'd just been given the perfect opening. He knew the longer he waited to broach the subject, the harder it would be.

Taking a deep breath, he started, "There's a matter I've been meaning to discuss with you…"

"Go on," Wilkins urged, giving his fellow officer a curious look as their horses continued moving at a leisurely pace down the road.

"I'm quite fond of your sister," Bordon began slowly. "I'm planning on courting her if she'll have me. I certainly hope you'll give your blessing, as I have nothing but the most honourable intentions toward her."

"Well, that's hardly news to me," Wilkins said, chuckling. "It's quite apparent how you feel about Mary every time you look at her. I was wondering when you were finally going to get around to courting her."

"Am I that obvious?" Bordon asked, thinking that only he and Tavington knew of his feelings toward Wilkins' sister.

"Not to a blind man, you wouldn't be," Wilkins said, still grinning broadly. "But to everyone else, yes."

"So you don't object, then?" Bordon asked.

"Not at all," Wilkins assured him. "Normally, I would expect you to wait until she's spent a respectable amount of time in mourning, but things change in wartime." Heaving a loud sigh, he continued, "Right now, I'd prefer to see her settled with a good man who'll take care of her and Susan. A long period of mourning is a luxury she can ill afford under the circumstances."

"I'm honoured that you consider me a good enough man for Mary," Bordon said in a humble tone.

"I'd be pleased to have you as my brother-in-law," Wilkins told him earnestly "That is, of course, if Mary is interested in you, which I believe she is."

"I shall endeavour to live up to your expectations of me as a suitable husband for your sister," the other man assured him.

Late that afternoon, the medical train arrived back at the fort. Wilkins had sent a couple of dragoons ahead, so that the doctors at the fort hospital would be ready to receive their patients by the time they arrived.

As they rode through the gate behind the wagons, the woman of the fort were waiting for them, as they'd noticed the dragoons earlier who had been sent to alert the doctors. Little Susan Miller had been outside playing when the two dragoons had ridden into the fort, and had immediately ran to tell her mother, who was having tea with Charlotte Tavington.

Bordon had taken the last of the laudanum from the little bottle about two miles from the fort, so while he was ground down by the long ride, he was able to ride through the gates with his head held high.

But instead of riding to the stables where the women waited for them, they rode directly to the camp hospital. Bordon was near the end of his endurance and needed to be seen as soon as possible before he fell from his horse from sheer exhaustion.

Mary looked at Charlotte in puzzlement as the men rode right past them without stopping.

"I wonder what's wrong?" Mary asked.

"Let's go find out," Charlotte said, already walking quickly in the direction of the infirmary.

By the time they reached the two dragoons, Bordon had managed to dismount with Wilkins' help, but was leaning heavily on him as his fellow officer helped him toward the hospital.

"Where's William?" Charlotte asked Wilkins in a worried tone, standing on his other side.

"He's fine," the tall man assured her. "He went off with Tarleton's dragoons to chase the retreating rebels to see if they can capture their baggage train.

Mary was relieved when she saw that her brother was uninjured, but gasped audibly, when she saw Captain Bordon's wounded arm in a sling.

"Are you all right?" she asked, as she sidled up to him in genuine concern.

"I'll be fine," he said, giving her a grateful smile. "Nothing that some rest and companionship won't cure."

"I'd like to take care of you, if I may," Mary said, blushing delicately. "I'll make sure you never get lonely."

"I'd like that," he replied, smiling broadly. "I'm feeling better already, just being in your presence."

Charlotte and Wilkins looked at one another with wide grins, glad that this romance had begun at last.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_**Historical notes:** General Horatio Gates did indeed desert the field ahead of his men. Riding a fast horse, he made it back the seventy-five miles to Charlotte by midnight of the same day. He was sacked for his cowardice and replaced by General Nathanael Greene._

_General Johann De Kalb, a German fighting with American forces, stayed behind to fight and was killed in the battle, having been shot eleven times._

_Banastre Tarleton's dragoons pursued and harassed the retreating American forces for twenty miles before breaking off the chase. After capturing Gates' baggage train, Tarleton received information about the whereabouts of Thomas Sumter and his militia. Deciding to follow the lead, he had several of his infantry ride double with his dragoons to locate Sumter. Surprising the much larger American force two days later, Tarleton gained a decisive victory. Sumter, who had been napping underneath a wagon when Tarleton's force swept into the camp and began cutting down the unprepared Americans, barely escaped with his life, riding shoeless and bareback away from Tarleton in his haste to escape._


	30. Will and Ban Have a Night on the Town

"I wish it was always this easy," Banastre Tarleton said to William Tavington two days later as they started back toward Camden from Fishing Creek. Laughing heartily, he continued, "Who would have thought that Sumter would be as incompetent as Gates?"

"They outnumbered us nearly eight to one, yet we routed them soundly, hardly breaking a sweat doing so," Tavington noted, grinning fiercely. "It's a very good thing Sumter didn't have the sense to establish sufficient pickets. And the ones he did have didn't see us until it was too late!"

"I've always maintained that the element of surprise is often the decisive element in winning a battle, especially against superior numbers," Ban said. "It's important to keep them off balance. And that's why I drive my men as hard as I can, so we can turn up where we're least expected and be all over the rebels before they have time to react sufficiently. It worked well at Lenud's Ferry and it worked well again here!" After a pause, he added, "You know my motto: 'Swift, vigilant, and bold'."

"It seems to have worked well for you so far," Tavington agreed. "And it's worked when I've applied the same tactics as well."

With a short bark of laughter, Tarleton pointed out, "Why, we nearly caught Sumter with his breeches literally down! As it is, he just managed to get away by the skin of his teeth, having to leave his boots and tack behind."

Both men laughed uproariously at the notion of the Gamecock jumping barefoot onto an unsaddled horse in his haste to flee.

"Today certainly has not been his lucky day," Tavington noted, still chuckling, as he gestured to several wagons stuffed with supplies lumbering behind them.. "He captured a goodly number of our men and a supply train yesterday, only to have us show up and take it all back today, plus take 300 of his men prisoner."

"And what a haul!" Tarleton enthused. "Between Gates' baggage train and what we took today, we'll be well-stocked for some time to come." Laughing again, he added, "I think that when I return to England at the end of all of this, I could have quite a career ahead of me as a highwayman!"

Tavington chuckled at the younger man's imagination. "Would you be a modern day Robin Hood and steal from the rich to give to the poor?" he asked. "Somehow, that doesn't quite fit. I rather think you'd simply steal from everyone to make _yourself _rich."

"Naturally," Tarleton replied, grinning roguishly. "I can just imagine all the women swooning over me if I wore long green hose, too."

"They already swoon over you now!" Tavington laughed.

"What can I say?" Tarleton asked rhetorically. "I just have a way with the ladies. And it's not as if you don't do just as well with them yourself."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

A couple of days later, the dragoons neared Camden along with their men and the long wagon train of re-captured supplies and prisoners. The dragoons could have made much better time, but they'd been limited by the plodding pace of the wagons and men on foot. Fortunately, they'd be able to cut most of the slower elements loose at Camden and would be able to pick up the pace for the rest of the trip to Fort Carolina.

Though it was only mid-afternoon, Tavington yawned loudly, worn out from so many days living out of the saddle.

"Tired, Will?" Ban inquired, looking a bit weary himself.

"A little," the other dragoon admitted. "I'll be glad to get back to the fort and be able to sleep in a real bed again." Frowning, he continued, "But there will be at least one more night of sleeping on the ground, as we'll still have some of the damned supply wagons with us all the way to the fort."

"I've got a better idea than that," Ban told him. "Why don't you and I stay overnight here in Camden after we turn over the prisoners and supply wagons? I happen to know just the perfect inn in Camden where we can relax and engage in a fine bit of debauchery. It has a tavern on the bottom floor and a brothel right next door.

"I know the place," Tavington replied, chuckling lowly. "It sounds like just _exactly_ what I need."

"We'll have us a good meal, drink some booze, play some cards, and then each find a willing woman to bed down with for the night," Tarleton said eagerly. "And in the morning, with our horses equally well rested, we'll be easily able to catch up with the rest of the group."

"Sounds like an excellent plan," Tavington agreed. "But I think I'll have the good meal with just a bit of ale, then off to bed with a comely wench. I don't have the blunt to gamble with, nor do I care to wake with a hangover in the morning."

"Suit yourself," Tarleton said, shrugging.

About an hour and a half later, they turned the prisoners over at Camden's stockade and had also left most of the supply wagons at the garrison in town. Tavington and Tarleton had each instructed their dragoons to keep going with the infantry and the now smaller wagon train to where the group would camp on the southern outskirts of Camden.

Once all this was done, the two dragoon colonels rode down the street to the inn at a leisurely pace. There was a stable conveniently located just across the street from the inn, so after making sure their horses were comfortably stabled for the night, they made their way inside the inn. After paying for their rooms, the two men went through a door into the tavern, which was located on the other side of the staircase that led to the rooms upstairs.

Sullivan's Tavern was full of British officers from several different units as the two dragoons entered the large room. If the noise level was anything to judge by, nearly everyone was having a raucously good time. Both Tavington and Tarleton each nodded perfunctorily at men they knew as they made their way to an empty table in a corner.

No sooner had they seated themselves than a buxom red-haired serving wench bustled up to wait on them.

Looking down on both men with a seductive smile, she said, "What will you handsome gentlemen have?"

"I think I'd like to have _you_, actually," Ban replied, pulling the laughing serving girl onto his lap.

Still laughing, as he reached under her petticoats, she eventually stood up after letting him get a bit of a feel. "All in good time, dear sir," she told him with a wink. "But you should eat something first, to make sure you have the stamina to handle me!"

"Oh, I'd be able to handle you, and a couple of your friends, besides," Ban bragged confidently.

The serving girl rolled her eyes at him, figuring it was mere braggadocio.

"It's true," Tavington put in. "He's well known at Fort Carolina for taking women on two and three at a time."

"How about you, Colonel?" she demanded, twitching her hips suggestively at him. "Do you think _you _can handle me?"

"Most assuredly," he promised her. "But, as you said, we need to have something to eat first. I'll have the special of the day, if you please. And I'll also have ale." Turning to Tarleton, he asked, "What do you want, Ban?"

"The same," the shorter dragoon replied, his eyes still fixed on the swaying backside of the serving wench.

"Coming right up," she said before hurrying off, looking once over her shoulder to wink at them.

"So, that's your choice of bed partner for the night?" Will asked Ban. "I think I would prefer to see who else is available first before making a decision."

"You don't find her attractive?" Ban asked, surprised.

"Oh, she's certainly comely enough, but considering we're only going to be here the one night, I would just prefer to know all my options first," the other dragoon reasoned. "And you never did answer my question."

"I think she's new here, so I'd like to give her a try," Ban told him. "At least I didn't see her on my last pass through here."

"Fair enough," Tavington conceded.

After leaving the dragoons' table, the serving girl headed to the back door to go out to the separate kitchen building that served both the tavern and the brothel. Both establishments were owned by one enterprising man, Brian Sullivan, who had previously driven freight wagons for the British army all through the French and Indian war.

As the red headed woman reached the door, she nearly collided with another serving girl intent on the same goal.

"Abby, look where you're going!" the other woman mildly scolded "I'll bet those two handsome dragoons have you completely addled." Putting an understanding hand on the other woman's shoulder as they walked to the kitchen, she confided, "But I don't blame you, though. I'd be a bit addled, too, if it had been those two that I'd waited on."

"I think the short, red-haired one is going to want me for tonight, Lucy," Abby confided. "He seemed very taken with me."

"Oh, you'll have a very good time with that one, let me tell you," Lucy told her with a wicked grin. "Do you know who he is?"

"No, I haven't a clue," Abby replied. "But he was very charming, that's for sure."

"It's 'Bloody Ban'," Lucy said "I've been with him before and he wore me out."

"I've heard of him," Abby ventured. "He's the one who gave the rebs a licking up at the Waxhaws some time back,"

"Well, it looks like that _you're_ the one he's going to give a licking to next," Lucy said, with a lewd chuckle.

"I can hardly wait," Abby said, giggling. "Who was the other man with him? He looks like he could show a girl a good time, too."

"Oh, most definitely," Lucy told her with a knowing wink. "He's "Butcher" Tavington. I've been with him before, too. He's definitely well worth a tumble." After a pause, she said, "In fact, I think I'll go see if he wants my company tonight. And I'd better do it soon before one of the other girls gets to him, as he's quite the popular one around here."

"All right, then," Abby said as they entered the kitchen.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Some time and several ales apiece later, Ban and Will leaned back in their chairs, feeling comfortably full and content.

"Ahh, what a good meal," Tavington said, just before a satisfied belch erupted from his mouth. "It's too bad we can't take the cook back to the fort with us."

"It's probably just as well," Ban said, rubbing his stomach. "We'd all get fat eating this food all the time."

"No doubt," Tavington agreed ruefully.

"I'm about ready to go find a card game," Tarleton said, stretching his arms out before standing up. "I'll just have a peek in the back room to see if anyone is back there playing.. Are you with me, Will?"

"I think not," Tavington said, yawning. "And you probably shouldn't either, considering you didn't exactly leave the fort overburdened with funds. Personally, I'd much rather find a lusty wench and retire for the night."

"Maybe you're right," Tarleton said reluctantly. Brightening, he added, "A lusty wench does indeed sound like just the thing right now, now that you mention it."

"I'm going to get a bath first," Tavington decided. "I haven't had one since we left the fort and I know I stink."

"I'll see you bright and early in the morning, then," Ban said. "Have a good time."

"I intend to," the other dragoon said, turning to leave. As he headed to the door that led to the stairway going to the inn's rooms, he met the flame haired wench that had served them accompanied by a green-eyed brunette,

"Colonel," the serving girl greeted as she passed him. "I hope you enjoy your stay." She did not wait for his reply, but continued on, as she was intent on intercepting Ban Tarleton before he left the room.

Her brunette companion, however, stopped to speak to him. "Colonel Tavington?" she drawled in a sultry voice, as she leaned forward slightly.

"Yes?" He looked at the attractive woman closely for a moment, then almost belatedly recognized her. "Ah, yes, Lucy, I believe?"

"That's right," she said, smiling, pleased that the handsome dragoon had remembered her. Gesturing toward Abby, who was now laughing with Ban Tarleton, she continued, "Abby told me that you might be looking for company for tonight. I'm free tonight, if it pleases you."

Looking down at the emerald eyed woman and remembering the deliciously erotic night they'd spent together some weeks back when he'd last been on patrol in this area, he murmured in a husky voice. 'It does please me."

After reaching up to idly cup one breast, he continued, "But first, I need to get a bath, as I've been living out of the saddle for nearly a week now. If you would be so kind as to arrange to have a bath brought to me, you may join me in about an hour. I'm in room three."

"Yes, sir," she said. "I'll be there."

A half hour later, William Tavington was relaxing in the tub that slaves had brought to his room. His uniform was draped over a chair by an open window, where he hoped it would air out sufficiently.

He'd washed his hair first before the water got too dirty, and was now scrubbing off the effects of a week in the saddle on muddy and dusty roads. The dragoon stretched languidly in the tub, feeling like a new man as he stood and reached for a linen cloth to dry himself with.

As he combed out his long raven hair by the mirror, he idly thought that at least he would be returning to Charlotte tomorrow reasonably clean and well-rested, though he would want to bathe again before they celebrated their reunion properly.

A bold knock came at the door as he finished combing his hair, interrupting his pleasant reverie about tomorrow's reunion with his wife.

"Who is it?" Tavington called out.

"It's Lucy, sir," the young woman replied. "Are you ready for me?"

"Yes," he said, giving his hair a final few strokes. "Do come in." All thoughts of Charlotte immediately vanished, as his mind turned to the pleasures soon to come.

Lucy inhaled audibly when she entered the room and found a very naked William Tavington standing by the mirror, completely comfortable with his nudity.

"Like what you see?" He asked as he turned to allow her to view his rising erection. He was well aware of the effect he had on women and Lucy's reaction only served to increase his arousal.

"Oh, my, yes," she breathed. "I can't wait to have you inside me."

"Patience, my dear," he said smoothly, giving her a feral grin. "The sooner you remove your clothes, the sooner your wish will come true."

As Tavington seated himself on the sofa by the window, he leaned back to watch her disrobe. Aware of his scrutiny, Lucy made a show of it, removing each article of clothing in a dramatic fashion.

Once she stood completely naked before him, he gestured lazily to her. "Come here and get on your knees."

The young harlot obeyed quickly, positioning herself between Tavington's spread legs. Staring avidly at his rigid shaft, she took it gently into one hand.

"That's it, take it all in," he murmured lowly as her mouth descended upon his waiting cock. He pushed her head down further as he spoke, with his fingers entangled in her hair.

"Unnnh," he groaned as he felt the head touch the back of her throat. He leaned back, his head against the wall with eyes closed, as her tongue began its magic upon him.

For the next few minutes, as Lucy's head bobbed up and down, Tavington's world was reduced to the exquisite pleasure that her ministrations generated.

As he felt his pleasure inexorably spiralling toward completion, he suddenly pushed her head back. "Not like this," he growled.

Staggering to his feet, Tavington pulled her up and led her to the bed. He pushed her down to sit on the edge of the bed, then pulled both her legs high to place them over his shoulders. After bending his knees slightly and bracing them against the mattress, he entered her in one smooth movement, Once comfortably situated, he began to thrust, at first slowly and deliberately.

When he felt himself drawing near completion, he picked up the pace, now ready to come. This elicited blissful moans from Lucy, who was lying on her back looking up into his face, as he grunted with effort. Seconds later, his climax washed over him, and he came with one last, satisfied grunt.

He pulled out immediately, then went to retrieve a few coins from his jacket. Returning to sit beside Lucy, who was now sitting up on the bed, Tavington handed her the coins, then drawled, "I would ask you to stay the night, but I must leave rather early in the morning and I need to get some sleep."

Lucy dressed quickly and as she headed to the door to leave, Tavington said, "I enjoyed it, my sweet."

"So did I," she told him. "I hope you'll choose me again the next time you're in Camden."

"Most certainly," he assured her.

After Lucy had left, Tavington went to bed right away, even though it was not all that late. He fell asleep within moments, feeling content and satisfied, looking forward to returning to Charlotte at the fort.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_**Historical notes:** The Battle of Fishing Creek took place two days after Camden. During his pursuit of Continental and militia stragglers from Camden and the capture of their baggage train, Tarleton got information about Sumter's whereabouts and decided to follow up on it. _

_Sumter, who was not at Camden, had heard of the American defeat there and had pulled back behind the Wateree River to avoid the British and had set up camp. He'd engaged the British twice on the day before his encounter with Tarleton, capturing prisoners and supply wagons. Not believing that any British pursuing from Camden could reach them this soon, the American camp was not alert to danger, and the security measures taken were decidedly insufficient._

_Thomas Sumter's nickname, "Gamecock", was given because, despite his small stature, he was a fierce fighter, just like a gamecock.  
_

_Tarleton, who was well known for hard riding pursuits, had several of his infantrymen to ride double with his dragoons in order to cover the ground quickly and surprised Sumter and his men, who were essentially asleep at the switch. Sumter was indeed napping underneath a wagon and had to run for his life, not even having time to put his boots on or to saddle his horse._

_The battle of Lenud's Ferry, fought the previous May, was another of Tarleton's signature "blitzkrieg" maneuvers. Acting on information from local loyalists, Tarleton surprised the Americans who had chosen this location as a resting place. He and his men raced into the American camp, cutting down the unprepared forces. Tarleton's opposite number, Lt. Col. William Washington had to run, or rather, swim for his life, when he jumped into the river to get away from Tarleton._

_Tarleton adopted the motto "swift, vigilant, and bold" after participating as a knight in a mock medieval tournament during the Mischianza fete in Philadelphia in 1778, where he carried a trophy with these words inscribed on it._

_"By the skin of one's teeth" and "booze" were both used during this time. I looked them up to make sure._

_Brian Sullivan's previous occupation as a freight driver during the French and Indian War was patterned on that of the future American general, Daniel Morgan, who gave Tarleton "a devil of a whipping" at Cowpens in January of 1781._

_"Airing out" sweaty clothes between washes was a common practice during this time._


	31. A Bet and a Proposal

William Tavington left the inn shortly after dawn the next morning, feeling satisfied and well-rested. After more than a week away, he was looking forward to returning to the fort and to Charlotte's arms. As he stepped through the door into the tavern for breakfast, he smiled to himself in anticipation of the welcome home that he expected that Charlotte would give him once they were alone behind closed doors

Ban Tarleton still had not appeared by the time Tavington finished a quick breakfast of porridge. The dragoon sighed in exasperation, knowing that his comrade in arms had no doubt been up all night romping with as many whores as he could manage to take on. Tavington chuckled to himself, thinking it was a good thing Hanger hadn't been with them, as he'd have likely entered the tavern this morning to find the two of them still swinging from the proverbial chandeliers.

He stepped across the street in the dim early morning light to the stables after finishing his morning repast. Unsurprisingly, Banastre Tarleton was not here, either. The dragoon found the young stable hand fast asleep on his cot in the tiny room at the back of the stable.

Sneering in aggravation, Tavington roughly jostled the snoring stable hand's shoulder to awaken him.

"Get up, you lazy urchin," Tavington growled, thoroughly put out.

The indentured boy's eyes widened in fear when he opened them to find Tavington standing over him, the dragoon's glacial blue eyes narrowed in irritation. Jumping up from his cot, he stumbled to his feet and stammered, "S-sorry, sir!"

"I need you to saddle both my horse and Colonel Tarleton's horse right away," Tavington told the sandy-haired boy in a severe tone. "I'll expect to see both horses ready in fifteen minutes."

"Y-yes, sir, right away!" the stable hand said as he hurriedly stuffed his feet into his shoes, then rushed off to do the dragoon's bidding. Leaving the boy to do his job, Tavington left the stable to go see if Ban was up yet.

As he re-entered the inn, he met Ban Tarleton coming down the stairs, flanked by Abby and Lucy, as he tucked his shirt into his breeches. All three were laughing merrily, sharing some private joke.

"There you are, Tarleton," Tavington called out briskly. "I've been out to the stable already and the stable boy is saddling our horses now. You have time to have a quick meal before we go."

"Good," the younger officer replied. Turning to the two women, he bowed to each one in turn, then said, "Ladies, I enjoyed it and I promise to come back to see you both at my earliest opportunity."

"Perhaps then you and Colonel Tavington could have us both at the same time?" Lucy asked, giving Tavington a seductive look. "I didn't get to spend as much time with him as I would have liked last night."

"If we're both here at the same time again, then most certainly," Tavington said smoothly. "I would find that most agreeable, as I'm sure Colonel Tarleton would."

"Without a doubt," Ban agreed grinning fiercely, reaching out to fondle each woman on the bum before they left the men to their breakfast.

A little over an hour later, the two dragoons caught up with the rest of their men after the group had broken camp and had just started back down the road to the fort.

"See?" Ban Tarleton told Tavington as they approached the soldiers. "I told you we'd easily be able to catch up to them. We probably could have stayed in bed another hour, too."

"I never doubted it for a moment," Tavington replied. Looking over the dragoon column as they fell into line, he added, "Everything seems to be in order here."

A short time later, once each man had talked to his respective junior officer in charge, they rejoined one another near the head of the column.

After a few moments of riding in silence, Ban Tarleton turned to Tavington and asked in a conversational tone, "So, Will, what was the matter with you last night?"

Tavington gave him a quizzical look, having no idea what the other man was talking about.

Noting the clueless expression on Tavington's face, Ban continued, "Weren't you able to properly satisfy Lucy? She came knocking on my door after leaving you, when I was halfway in the middle of rogering Abby. I nearly ended up shooting my load prematurely."

Regarding the younger man with a sour expression, Tavington replied haughtily, "Lucy was quite satisfied, if all the moaning and sighing she'd done was any indication. I would also add that she was walking in a decidedly crooked fashion when she left my room."

"I don't know, Will," Ban teased, shaking his head. "Lucy was most definitely wanting more when I let her into my room. She could hardly wait for me to finish with Abby before she was all over me. And it's mainly her fault that I was late for breakfast this morning. That little minx drained me dry, so much so that I ended up being the one who walked crooked this morning!"

Tavington raised an eyebrow at the other dragoon, then said, "There, you see? I didn't want to give Lucy everything I had last night and come home to Charlotte all used up. I just wanted to scratch my itch a little last night and save the rest for my eagerly waiting wife at home." After a pause, he added, "It's not as if anyone particular is waiting at the fort for you, Tarleton, so there was no need for you to hold anything back."

"That's true," Tarleton conceded. After a pause, he remarked, "I'll bet Bordon and Wilkins will be disappointed they missed out on last night once they find out, though."

"Wilkins, maybe," Tavington agreed. "But not Bordon. Not any more, at least. He's so besotted with Wilkins' widowed sister that he hardly notices other women. I imagine that now he's been wounded and will have to spend some time at the fort, he'll spend every available moment courting her. I'd not be surprised if they were married by the end of summer."

"Better him than me," Ban said, shuddering at the idea of marriage. "Would you like to make a wager on that, Tavington? I'll bet that he'll eventually come to his senses once the novelty wears off and he'll not marry her at all."

"Most certainly," Tavington agreed. "It will be the easiest money I've ever made."

"I do hope I'm proven to be correct," Ban said earnestly. "He'd be foolish to rush headlong into marriage like that. He has several good years left before he needs to even think about marriage."

"Oh, marriage is not that bad," Tavington told him. "Charlotte has been quite the amiable and agreeable wife so far." Smiling as he thought of her, he added, "You'd be surprised at how much of a difference it makes in one's life to know that there's someone waiting for you at home who gives a damn whether you live or die."

"I'll take your word for it," Ban replied. "But I'm not at all ready to find out for myself whether or not it is true."

"Your time will come, Tarleton," Tavington predicted. "Mark my words. Eventually, you'll at least want an heir."

"Perhaps," Ban said indifferently, shrugging. "But in any instance, I have brothers who will keep the family name going, even if I don't. I'm not worried about it. Really, it's much easier being a younger son, as far as such things go."

"Not being a younger son, I'll have to take your word for that," Tavington replied in a good-natured tone.

"But I must say that I'll be quite glad to get back to the fort," Tarleton admitted. "I'm worn out and I would really like to get several hours of sleep."

Laughing heartily as he glanced sideways at the younger man who looked decidedly haggard, Tavington said, "It's no wonder, considering the night you had."

"I can only hope that Cornwallis doesn't send me out again immediately," Tarleton groused. "Knowing my luck, however, he'll likely be waiting for us at the gate, with new orders in hand."

"Perhaps not," Tavington opined. "I would like the chance to get to have a couple of days of respite at the fort myself before heading out again."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

James Bordon sat outside his tent on a folding chair enjoying the early morning sunshine with a cup of coffee. Wilkins had brought it to him before going on duty and Mary would be arriving soon with his breakfast.

Since returning injured to the fort several days ago, the throbbing pain in his arm had awakened him each morning earlier than he would have liked. He'd spent the first night in the infirmary under observation, but the doctor had thankfully allowed him to return to his own tent the next night.

Bordon had taken it easy these last few days, not straying far from his tent the entire time. He'd had a devil of a time getting dressed and undressed with the use of only one arm, especially buttoning his breeches. He'd be damned if he'd ask Wilkins to help with such a task, however, and it was not yet proper to ask Mary to do so, so he'd struggled as best he could with the task.

The dragoon sat now with a banyan over a loose shirt and his breeches. He was lucky to have a pair of low shoes with him, as he knew he'd never be able to get his boots on and off by himself in his current condition. His hair was loose on his shoulders, but Mary would arrange it into a neat queue once they'd shared breakfast.

He sighed in anticipation of her arrival today. They'd planned to take a short walk around the fort before lunch, which would be the first time he'd left the immediate area of his tent since arriving back at the fort.

Mary Miller had come to see him each day since he'd been back. They'd mainly sat outside his tent in full view of others during the day, as was proper for a courting couple, often times joined by her brother and always with Susan in tow. They'd spent this time getting better acquainted, telling one another about the lives they'd led, along with their hopes and dreams for the future.

In the evenings, Wilkins often joined them, though Mary always left fairly early, so that Susan could get to bed at a reasonable hour.

Bordon had been delighted to discover that his first impressions of Mary had been quite correct; she'd turned out to be quite an agreeable woman that he knew would make a fine partner in life. And from observing her interactions with Susan, he was confident she'd make a fine mother for his children.

There was also that small matter of that whenever he was with her, his heart beat faster and his breeches became a bit tighter. He knew he would end up asking her to marry him sooner, rather than later, as he was about to self-combust with unsatisfied lust. And the sad thing was that with his injured arm, he couldn't even take matters in hand to relieve the pressure.

As he was chuckling to himself about his awkward personal dilemma, Mary walked up to the tent, approaching from the rear.

"What's got you laughing?" Mary asked, smiling broadly as she came around from the side of the tent. "I could hear you halfway down the path."

"Er, ah, um," Bordon stammered, not wishing to share with her the precise cause of his discomfiture. He was also very grateful at that moment for the loose fit of his banyan, which now thankfully hid the exact nature of his problem. "I was just thinking about something Tarleton said awhile back," he quickly lied. "Unfortunately, it's too vulgar to repeat."

"I'll take your word for it," Mary said, letting it go, as she reached inside the basket she was carrying for his breakfast and set it down on the folding table beside him. "I'm just happy to hear you laugh, no matter what the reason. I take it that you're feeling better this morning?"

"I feel a bit better with every passing day," he told her. "But it will be awhile before I'm completely my old self again."

"Do you think you're up to that walk we talked about last night," she asked in a hopeful tone.

"Yes, I believe so," he said, smiling. "I've been looking forward to it."

A short time later, the couple was strolling, hand in hand, back up the path in the general direction of the main house. Susan ran ahead of them, looking over her shoulder every so often to make sure the adults were still following.

"Susan is still a bit insecure," Mary told Bordon as Susan looked back yet again a couple of minutes later. "But she's much better now than she was when her father first died,"

"Children are quite resilient," Bordon noted. "They adjust to changing circumstances more easily than adults do, usually."

"You've been a big help in her adjustment," Mary confided. "It's meant a lot to her that you've helped her with her reading, listening to her recite. She also told me that multiplication makes more sense to her now that you explained it properly to her."

"I'm glad to be of help," he said sincerely. "It's a pleasure to help her because she's eager to learn." Laughing quietly, he said, "Perhaps I should have been a school master rather than a soldier."

"I think you would do well in any endeavour you chose," she stated.

"Perhaps," he agreed guardedly. "But as a lad I loved horses, so I ended up as a dragoon." After a pause, he continued, "But maybe once this war is over, I might try my hand at another occupation."

Changing the subject, Mary told him, "Charlotte Tavington invited us over for tea after our walk. She's been feeling rather lonesome since the Colonel has been away and could do with some company."

"I would imagine that he and Tarleton and the dragoons should be returning soon," Bordon estimated. "I'd not be surprised if we saw them today."

"I hope so," Mary replied.

The two walked in companionable silence for a few minutes. It was a measure of how comfortable they felt together that they did not feel the need to fill every available moment with conversation. Silence was not awkward for either of them because of their essential compatibility with one another.

A short time later, as they walked along the perimeter by the fence, Bordon led Mary to a ladder that led to an observation tower. Indicating upward with his good arm, he said, "This is one of my favourite places in the fort. I've come here when I was to be alone and need to think." Smiling encouragingly at her, he asked, "Would you like to see the view?"

"Oh, yes," she replied. "Will you be all right climbing with your bad arm?"

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "I don't need both arms to get up there."

"All right, then," she agreed. Looking over at Susan, who was now talking with a little girl she knew who had wandered by, Mary told her, "Wait down here, Susan, and don't wander off. The Captain and I will only be a few minutes."

"Yes, Mother," she said, plopping down on the ground with the other girl to play with their dolls.

"Shall we?" Bordon said, gesturing to indicate that Mary should go first.

A moment later, the couple stood alone in the observation tower, which was midway between two guard towers that stood at opposite corners of the fort. Unlike the guard towers, this lookout area was not always manned.

Neither Bordon nor Mary spoke for a long moment, as they gazed upon the magnificent panorama before them. Fort Carolina was at the crest of the hill and from their vantage point, they could see the road coming from the north. A large meadow, partially populated by tall grasses and colourful wildflowers stood between them and a forest consisting largely of pine, which was bisected by the heavily travelled road. Cattle grazed in the meadow closer to the fort, and off in the distance on the right, a bend of the nearby river could be seen.

"I can see why you like to come here," Mary finally said. "The view is beautiful."

"America is beautiful," Bordon asserted. "Throughout this war, I've been to many different regions in America, and though the scenery varies depending upon the region, it's all magnificent to me."

"I'm sure England is beautiful as well," she ventured.

"Oh, yes, the countryside most certainly is, but it lacks the sense of vastness that is so uniquely American," he told her.

"Sometimes, the vastness can be lonely," she told him honestly. "And after the war, I'll likely have to sell the farm and move. Even if England wins the war, I'll not want to live near the people who killed my husband. I have no idea where Susan and I will go, especially if Jim doesn't end up staying in this area" Sighing loudly, she said, "And I don't know if I want to move in with him, as he's likely to have married by then, and I wouldn't want to live under his roof as a burden to him."

"Perhaps you won't have to," Bordon said suddenly, with a shy smile. "Maybe you'll bet a better offer."

Looking up at him and searching his eyes, she saw the sincerity there. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I believe I am," he said softly, his green eyes twinkling in merriment. "I would be quite pleased if you would consent to be my wife. I know it's very soon after your husband's death and that we've only just begun to know one another, but I've learned enough about you to know that we are especially well-suited to one another."

"I feel the same way," she confessed. "I know that you're a good man who cares about me and I know that Thomas wouldn't want me to grieve forever for him. And I know that it's in the best interests of both Susan and I for me to marry again."

Taking a deep breath, she put a gentle hand on his arm, then added in a breathy voice, "And I melt every time I look into your eyes. It does not hurt at all that you are most pleasing to the eye." After another pause, she concluded, "So, yes, James Bordon, I will marry you."

Grinning broadly, he said, "You don't know how much that pleases me, Mary. I promise that I will be the best of husbands to you and do everything in my power to make you and Susan happy."

He leaned down then and took her lips with his own, taking her into his arms as he felt hers surround him. Their kiss was long, unhurried, and searching, as they explored one another's mouths for the first time.

The reluctantly broke away when they heard a distant rumbling rapidly growing louder. Looking out toward the road, they saw the dragoon column rapidly approaching led by Colonels Tavington and Tarleton, with infantry and wagons following slowly behind them.

"Oh, they're back!" Mary said. "I suppose this means we won't be having tea with Charlotte, after all!"

"No, I would guess not," Bordon said chuckling. He knew that Tavington would have better things for Charlotte to do than take tea with her friends.

"But I want to share our happy news with her!" Mary declared. "Let's hurry and get to the stables, as she'll likely hurry over there to meet the Colonel. It might be awhile before I get a chance to tell her if I don't do so now!"

Several minutes later, the newly engaged couple reached where Charlotte Tavington stood waiting, just as Colonels Tavington and Tarleton pulled up beside her.

Calling out to her friend, Mary Miller announced, "Charlotte! James and I just became engaged! I wanted you to be the first to know!"

William Tavington laughed out loud, then turned to Ban Tarleton with an evil grin. "Pay up, Tarleton!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

**Historical notes:** _Though love was increasingly becoming an important factor influencing the choice of a spouse in the late 18th century, it was by no means the only consideration or even the most important one. Practical considerations, such as economics and security still played an important role. In Mary's situation, she had a child's safety and welfare to consider and in a society where there were few opportunities, especially in rural areas, for a woman alone to support herself, she could not afford the luxury of marrying again strictly based on romantic notions. While Bordon, who would be marrying for the first time, could afford to marry strictly for love and take his time finding a wife, he was also of a traditional and practical nature, and was looking for a woman of good character and temperament who would be a true partner in life for him. Marrying a widow was a smart move for him, as he saw that she'd already been a good wife and mother for another man. The fact that their personalities were compatible and that they each found the other sexually desirable was simply icing on the cake for them. So, while their engagement might seem sudden after such a brief courtship, they saw no need to delay things once they'd deemed one another compatible._

_A banyan was the 18th century version of a men's bathrobe, but it was sometimes also worn in public as casual wear over a shirt and breeches.  
_

_My inclusion of a folding chair and table for Bordon is historically accurate, as I looked it up and also found reproductions of them on a website selling gear for reenactors.  
_


	32. Bordon Gets Married

The day was nearly here at last. A few weeks after proposing to Mary Miller on the spur of the moment in the observation tower, James Bordon would finally take her as his bride on the morrow,

Both the bride and groom would have been just as happy to have gone to the Legion chaplain and been married the day he proposed, but they'd both agreed it would be best until he'd made a complete recovery. Though Mary was not a first time bride, Bordon was adamant that their wedding night to be one to remember, which necessitated them waiting until he'd recovered fully and regained his strength.

During the weeks before the wedding, Charlotte and Mary had been busy preparing for it; planning the wedding feast as well as making new gowns for Mary and Susan. Jim Wilkins had made a trip out to the Miller farm armed with a list of items that Mary had sent him there to bring to the fort, which would turn the engaged couple's soon-to-be-shared quarters into a home.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Tavington," Ban Tarleton said to his fellow officer as they both made their way to Bordon's bachelor party the night before the wedding. "I have another wager for you."

"Again?" Tavington replied, rolling his eyes. "Don't you ever get weary of losing money, Tarleton?""

"I'm confident I'll win this one," the other dragoon insisted.

"All right, then," Tavington conceded. "What do you want to bet on?"

"I'll bet you the same amount as before that I can get Bordon to roger Molly before the party is over," Tarleton said confidently.

"Oh?" the other man said. "I didn't know she was going to be there."

"Hanger's bringing her along to liven the party up a bit," Ban reported.

"She'll certainly do that," Tavington said dryly, remembering his last encounter with her. "All right, then, Ban, I'm in."

"And the best thing is, once Bordon gets a shot at her, the rest of us will all get a turn, too," Tarleton said, grinning in anticipation.

"And I would suspect that even if Bordon declines, the rest of us will still get our turn," Tavington observed astutely.

"You can count on that!" Ban agreed.

The two men made their way through the large tent encampment to the furthest end to where a large marquee tent had been set up just that day for the party. Ban Tarleton had purposely ordered that the tent be put there, so that the women wouldn't see any of the shenanigans that were likely to happen there tonight.

As for the women, they were back at the main house having a gathering of their own. Charlotte hosted the party and had invited several officers' wives whom Mary had become acquainted with since moving to the fort.

The two dragoons entered the tent a few minutes later, from the back side. Several dragoon lieutenants from both Tavington's and Tarleton's units were milling around chatting as they waited for the party to begin. A few others from other units were in attendance as well.

As Tavington lifted the flap and entered the dim candle-lit tent with Tarleton directly on his heels, he noticed that neither Bordon nor Wilkins were in evidence. Nor did he see George Hanger or Molly, for that matter.

"Bordon's not here," Tavington said, stating the obvious.

"You do remember that the party is supposed to be a surprise?" Tarleton asked him. Not waiting for a response, he continued, "Wilkins will be bringing him along shortly. He's going to tell him that there's a meeting here to plan for an upcoming battle." Pausing to get himself a drink, he added, "They should be here any time now."

"And Hanger and Molly?"

"Oh, they'll be along later," Ban told him, waving a hand dismissively. "We want Bordon to be relaxed before she arrives."

"Ah, I see now," Tavington said slowly. "If you get him drunk first, he'll be more likely to succumb to Molly's wiles."

"Our bet never specified that he had to be sober!" Ban pointed out indignantly.

"That's true," Tavington conceded grudgingly. "Of course, if you get him _too_ drunk, he won't be able to do Molly any good and he does have to complete the deed for you to win the bet."

"I think Bordon's a man who can hold his liquor," Ban said confidently.

"You hope," Tavington retorted.

No more than fives minutes later, Tavington could hear Bordon talking to Wilkins right outside the tent.

"This is certainly an odd place for a meeting," Bordon said as he came through the tent flaps. As he looked around at the group inside the tent, most of whom had drinks in their hands, his expression became even more confused.

"Surprise, Bordon," Wilkins said heartily. "We couldn't let you go to the altar without a good party first!"

"You know, it's one last bit of fun before you put on the shackles," Ban Tarleton said, thrusting a drink into his hands.

"I appreciate it, Colonel," Bordon said, laughing, as he rolled his eyes at the shorter man in amusement.

About an hour later, Ban Tarleton felt that Bordon was sufficiently tipsy that they could safely begin the second part of the night's entertainment. Everyone had been drinking enthusiastically and had become thoroughly loosened up

Turning to Tavington, he said, "I think it's about time for Molly. She and Hanger are back at her tent, so I'm going to go let them know it's time. If Bordon asks where I've gone, just tell him I went to the privy."

"All right," Tavington said.

A short time later, Ban Tarleton slipped back into the tent with Molly and George Hanger, along with two more slatterns.

Catching Tavington's raised eyebrow, Tarleton told him, "I thought we'd probably need a few more to handle the entire group."

"Thoughtful of you," Tavington remarked dryly.

Turning to address the group, Ban Tarleton announced, "And now for the second part of tonight's festivities." Indicating the three women with a flourish, he continued, "These fine ladies are here to see that everyone has particularly good time."

Amidst murmurs of approval, he added, "And, as I'm sure you'll all agree, I think it only fitting and proper, that Captain Bordon starts off and gets his first pick of the ladies while they're still fresh!"

"All right, then," Bordon said, grinning, as he looked the women over., After a few moments of deliberation, he chose a tall, busty blond named Martha. Turning to the two dragoon colonels, who were standing nearby, he said, "Why don't the two of you join me. There are two other women available, you know."

"Don't mind if we do!" Tarleton said enthusiastically. "Will, why don't you pick next?"

"All right," he said.

Molly looked at Tavington expectantly, but he passed her over to choose a brunette with blue eyes much like his own. When dealing with whores, Tavington felt it best not to choose the same one all the time, as he wanted to avoid having any of them developing feelings for him. Though he liked dallying with women of easy virtue, he saved his feelings of love for Charlotte.

She gave him a dirty look when he chose the dark haired trollop, but brightened again, when Ban Tarleton took her hand.

The three men led the doxies over to a long wooden table that had long benches on either side. The men sitting there quickly got up and moved the benches out of the way. George Hanger and a few others gathered around to watch, but some others stepped outside with their drinks. Jim Wilkins went outside, so he'd truthfully be able to tell his sister that her intended had not been up to any shenanigans if she should ask.

Bordon was a little embarrassed to be taking a whore in view of several of his fellow officers, but he'd had enough port that it wouldn't stop him from going ahead with it anyway. Plus, Tarleton would never let him live it down if he did not properly roger the young doxy.

"Lean over the table," he murmured to the blond, who was nearly his own height. After she did so, he lifted her petticoat to expose her bare bottom, which reminded him of a ripe pumpkin. Reaching between her legs, he found that she was ready, no doubt because she'd likely been with other men earlier in the evening before coming here.

He noted that Tavington and Tarleton had not wasted any time; both were buried to the hilt inside their respective trollops, thrusting vigorously. Bordon hesitated no longer. He leaned forward, bracing his hands on either side of the whore's round bottom on the rough table, pushing decisively into her. His wrist and shoulder were mainly healed, but he braced most of his weight on his left side, just to be careful.

He thought of Mary for one moment, but then banished her from his mind. He reasoned that relieving some of the sexual frustration that had been building in him for weeks on this doxy would help him to be more relaxed with Mary the next night and not attack her like a wild predator.

Satisfied with this reasoning, he began hammering into the moaning blond with gusto, generating an "oomph" from her with every thrust.

Tarleton and Tavington, likewise, were pounding away as well, with the abused table squeaking and vibrating beneath them. It would be a lucky thing if the table did not collapse once all three men were done.

All three dragoons finished within thirty seconds of one another. Other men lined up to take their turns with the trollops, as Bordon and the two colonels buttoned back up.

Tavington was ready to call it a night and head back to his quarters to make love properly to Charlotte. Bordon had asked him to be his best man, so he needed to get enough rest to get up early to make sure the groom made it to the altar on time.

"I'll see you in the morning, then," he said to Bordon as he moved to exit the tent. "Bright and early."

"Yes, sir," Bordon slurred, still thoroughly tipsy.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Ban Tarleton said, meeting him at the tent flap. "Pay up, Tavington!"

"Yes, yes, of course," Tavington replied irritably, reaching into his jacket pocket for the coins to hand to the impatient Tarleton.

He left the tent with no further ado, leaving the men inside to their debauchery, as he threaded his way back through the maze of tents on his way back to Charlotte and their bed.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Mary Miller had been awakened early the next morning by Susan coming in and jumping on her bed at the crack of dawn.

"Is it time yet?" Susan asked eagerly, standing there in just her shift. "I'm ready to put on my new clothes to see you and Captain Jim get married!"

"Oh, no, dear one," Mary said, her voice thick with sleep. "We've a bit of time yet." Pulling the covers back, she said, "Why don't you get in with me and we'll talk awhile before getting up."

Susan slipped gratefully into bed with her mother and snuggled up close, as she'd done nearly every morning since her father had died. Mary was going to miss this after she and James were married.

"Are you sure you don't mind me marrying the Captain?" Mary asked Susan. "We could wait awhile longer if you're uncomfortable with the idea."

"No, Mama, it's fine," Susan assured her with a brave smile "Captain Jim is very nice to me and I think Papa would have liked him. I know Papa would approve."

"I think he would have, too," Mary said softly, giving her daughter a hug.

"I miss Papa," Susan said suddenly, tears appearing in her eyes. "I hate this stupid war!"

"I do, too," her mother agreed, meaning both Thomas and the war. "But I'm afraid we have to deal with life as it comes. I'm very lucky to have found the Captain, as he's a fine man and he'll be good to both of us."

About a half hour later, Mary sat up and said, "If we're going to make it to the wedding on time, we need to get up now." Swinging her legs to the side of the bed, she said, "I'll need to find someone to bring us up a bath right after breakfast. Miss Charlotte will be here to help me dress and arrange my hair, so we need to not waste any time."

As Mary and Susan were dressing, Charlotte Tavington was being awakened in the most pleasurable way possible. She'd been pleasantly surprised last night when William had returned home from Bordon's party at a relatively early hour.

"I missed you love, and I couldn't bear to be away any longer," he'd told her before they'd slipped into bed together where he'd spent an hour or two proving just how much he'd missed her.

Now, as she reclined half asleep in bed with the early morning light streaming insistently through the window, she felt William's arms tighten around her and his lips kissing her neck urgently. The worst of the morning sickness had passed by now, so she was able to respond to her amorous husband without queasiness.

Next, his lips were on hers and she felt his erection pressing against her thigh. As his kisses deepened, she could feel him quickly lifting her shift above her hips. A moment later, he'd mounted her and slipped smoothly inside.

Their lovemaking this morning wasn't leisurely, but urgent and primal, as it often was on the days when William had a busy day ahead of him. All too soon, it was over and they both reclined side by side, panting in aftermath.

After a long interval, Tavington reluctantly sat up, and swung his legs off the side of the bed. "I'd better see if Bordon is awake yet," he said. "He might need a bit of prodding, as he was quite drunk when I left him last night. Wilkins said he'd get him up, but I'm afraid he'll need prodding as well."

"I'll have a bath set up and waiting for you when you get back," she promised.

"Why don't you get in first, as I know you have to go over to Mary's to help her get ready," Tavington said, "It may take awhile to get Bordon alert and moving." After a moment's thought, he added, "I'll even stop by the mess tent and get us both some breakfast and bring it back here."

Standing beside him in her shift and bare feet, Charlotte reached up to kiss Tavington briefly. "Such a wonderfully thoughtful husband!" she enthused.

"You _are_ eating for two now, and it's my pleasure to take proper care of you," he said, reaching down to rub across her slightly swollen belly. "I can't wait to see our child."

"Nor can I," she agreed, leaning into her husband's embrace.

He left a few minutes later, calling out to a passing servant to bring up a bath to their quarters on his way out.

A little over an hour later, Charlotte was getting ready to leave to go to Mary's quarters to help her dress. Just as she was about to open the door, William came in.

"I was right!" he crowed. "Both Bordon and Wilkins were still snoring when I got there. I drenched them both with a bucket of water to the face, so they're both well on the way to getting ready now!"

"I wish I could have seen it!" Charlotte said, laughing. "The expressions on their faces must have been priceless!" Leaning over to give her husband a kiss, she said, "But I must go now, if I'm to get Mary ready on time. The bath water is still warm for you."

"Excellent," he said, starting immediately to remove his clothes.

About fifteen minutes later, Charlotte was standing behind Mary, tightening her stays.

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing marrying James?" Mary asked fretfully, as Charlotte pulled on the strings. "It's so soon after Thomas' death and I really don't know James all that well."

"Yes, you're doing the right thing," Charlotte said firmly. "Captain Bordon is a good man and William trusts him implicitly. You and he are well matched, in my opinion." Pausing to pick up Mary's petticoat for her to put on now that the stays were in place, she continued, "There's no particular virtue in a long widowhood. The only reason I stayed widowed so long is that I'd not met the right man until William came along. But I can assure you that if I'd met him shortly after John's death, I would have married him, just as you are marrying James now."

"That is true," Mary agreed. "My instincts are telling me that it's the right thing to do, but I want to be sure."

"Trust your instincts," Charlotte urged her. "You can never know the future for certain, but instincts are often accurate.

"I suppose it would hurt to have a little faith," Mary said.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Several hours later, James Bordon and his new bride climbed the stairs to their quarters over the stable. The Tavingtons were keeping Susan for the night, so they'd have the whole place to themselves for their wedding night.

"Welcome home, Mrs Bordon," he rumbled and he carried his petite bride over the threshold.

"Be careful, James!" she admonished. "Your arm!"

"It's fine," he assured her, as he set her back on her feet and took her into her arms for a long, searching kiss. After a long moment, he reached behind him and locked the door with a decisive click.

He was surprised a moment later, when Mary grabbed his hand and began leading him to the bedroom, where a larger bedstead had been set up by slaves while they were at the wedding.

No sooner had they entered the room than she began pulling at his cravat to unfasten it. Pleased by his new wife's eagerness, he took her hands into his own and said, laughing, "Let me. It will go faster that way."

Bordon smiled wryly at Mary's haste. He remembered being concerned the night before about putting Mary off if he came on too strong from sexual frustration on their wedding night. It now seemed as if he'd been foolish to worry. He belatedly realized that Mary had been celibate longer than he had, considering how long she'd been widowed.

"Do hurry, James," she urged. "I've wanted to do this most likely from the first moment I saw you."

"That makes two of us," he said, chuckling lowly, as he continued to divest himself of his clothing, careless tossing each piece aside with alacrity.

"I don't need you to be gentle," she assured him a few moments later, once he'd unlaced her stays and thrown them in the corner. "We have the rest of our lives to be gentle. Now, I want you to ravish me."

"I fully intend to," he growled, as he pulled her shift off, then picked her up and tossed her on the bed.

Joining her on the bed, he took her into his arms and began to devour her mouth as a starving man would if given a meal, as his hands learned the contours of her body.

Mary, who was eager to get on with it, snaked her hand along his body until she found the body part that interested her most, which, to her great satisfaction, was standing at attention and ready to do its job.

"Now, James, now!" she entreated, pulling him closer.

Needing no further encouragement, he spread her legs further with his knee, then moved to enter her, sliding in with a smooth, practiced movement.

After Mary wrapped her legs around his waist and hooked her feet together against his back, he began to move in a effortless, undulating rhythm, with Mary meeting him, thrust for thrust.

The only sounds that could be heard were moans and grunts as the aroused couple strained ever faster toward completion.

As Mary's body stiffened as her climax overtook her, Bordon let go seconds later, as he spent himself inside her. Feeling a bit of soreness from his healing arm, he rolled gently off her onto his back beside her, as both reclined side by side in the afterglow.

Mary sighed in satisfaction, completely content. A moment later, Bordon began emitting soft snores - he'd fallen asleep!

Rolling over to look at her sleeping husband, Mary chuckled to herself as she snuggled up to join him in slumber. They had years ahead of them to make love and she was looking forward to it.


	33. Brutal Retribution

Mary Bordon awakened the next morning to insistent pounding on the door. Her mind, at first still cobwebbed by sleep, was confused by the rhythmic thumping sound. She lifted one ear to listen, but the sound had ceased. Just as she was about to roll over and go back to sleep, the repetitive sound began again, this time accompanied by a voice.

"Captain Bordon!" the muffled voice called "You're needed right away!"

James Bordon finally awoke as all the clatter finally penetrated his slumber. Grumbling, he quickly got up and threw his banyan on over his naked body as he went to answer the door.

Throwing the door open peevishly, he found a nervous dragoon private standing there. "Well?" he demanded. "What is it? You'd better have a _very_ good reason for disturbing a man the morning after his wedding!"

"Begging your pardon, Captain, sir, but General Cornwallis has called a meeting that will begin in thirty minutes," the young private told him.

"All right," Bordon said wearily. "You've delivered your message. You may go."

After shutting the door a bit harder than necessary, Bordon turned to his bride, standing there in her hastily donned shift, he apologized, "I'm sorry, Mary. I'd hoped to spend the day tarrying in bed with you, but, unfortunately, my duty will interfere with that."

"It's all right, James," Mary said consolingly. "We had a wonderful wedding night and I'm very happy. We'll have plenty of other times, together."

"That's my Mary," Bordon said, smiling, as he took her into his arms to kiss her. "Ever so sensible." Remembering the night they'd shared before, he added in a husky voice, "And sensuous."

Within twenty minutes, Captain Bordon was striding purposefully toward the main building. As he began to mount the steps to the door, he met William Tavington coming out, followed closely by Wilkins.

"There you are, Bordon," Tavington said briskly," heading down the steps to meet him. "Get your gear and your horse tacked up; we'll be leaving on patrol within the hour."

The doctor had released Bordon back to full duty the day before the wedding. This would be his first time out of the fort since being injured at Camden.

"What about the meeting I was called to?" Bordon asked, trying not to let his irritation show.

"Oh, we concluded that a few minutes ago," the dragoon leader told him dismissively. "The Lord General wants us to put a stop to the partisan raids on our supply trains." Smirking in amusement, Tavington continued, "It seems as if the rebels have stolen the Lord General's extra uniforms, his diaries, and those gargantuan dogs of his." Sneering in disgust, he added, "Good riddance to the dogs; they got fed better than most of our men do."

"They've been raiding our supply trains ever since we came into the backcountry," Bordon pointed out. "The Lord General is just now noticing?"

"I suppose it makes a difference when it's _his_ belongings that are being stolen," Tavington observed.

"No doubt," Bordon agreed with a wry grin.

Shortly after the dragoons had left the fort and were heading down the road about a half hour later, Bordon turned to Tavington and asked, "So, what's your plan for dealing with the partisan raids?"

"I've given it some thought and have decided to use their own tactics against them," Tavington said. "Instead of attacking them directly, we'll create a ruse to draw them out. Those two supply wagons you saw leaving ahead of us with just a small detachment of foot soldiers do not contain supplies, but rather more heavily armed soldiers, who will remain out of sight until they're needed."

Taking a deep breath, the dragoon continued, "The key is to make the wagons look vulnerable, so the rebels will come out and attack. We'll be following along, out of sight, and be ready to move in at the right time."

"Do you have a specific area in mind?" Bordon inquired. "I think that less travelled secondary road between Pembroke and Glenville would be a good choice. It's close enough to the main road between Pembroke and Wakefield, where Benjamin Martin's men have been seen several times in recent weeks."

"That's exactly where I was thinking of," Tavington said, smiling evilly. "Great minds do think alike."

"I hope we find those two worthless bastards who attacked Mary today," Wilkins said darkly. "We've let them live far too long. It's time for them to pay for what they did."

"Indeed," Bordon agreed. "I think today would be a fine time for them to meet their Maker…very slowly."

"You both have my leave to dispatch them both to hell in any way you see fit," Tavington told them.

The men fell silent them, each returning to their own private thoughts. For the next couple of hours, they did not speak much, and even then, stuck strictly to business.

As they came upon a particularly sharp bend in the road, Tavington held up his hand for the group to stop. He rode up to the young lieutenant in charge of the wagons, as his dragoons waited behind them.

"Remember what I told you at the fort," Tavington reminded the young officer, looking down from his horse. "Martin has been known to ride out a little ahead of his men to confront the wagon trains, saying that he'll spare the lives of the wagoners and the soldiers with them if they'll just walk away and let them simply take everything without a fight. You must stall him for several minutes until I can get my men close enough to make a charge. It's important that they get little to no warning as to our presence, as I want to take down as many of the bastards as we can before they either gather themselves together to fight back or run away before we can catch them."

"Yes, sir," the infantryman said. "I'm actually looking forward to see the look of surprise on his face when all my men jump out of the wagons, while yours ride into the rebels and cut them to pieces."

"As am I," Tavington agreed. Pointing to a hill to their right, he continued, "My men and I will form at the crest of that hill, where we can look down on the road ahead. There are enough trees there that we won't be immediately visible to someone glancing in that direction. We'll be watching you and your men the entire time."

"Yes, sir," the other man acknowledged.

"Wait until you see my men and I positioned at the top of the hill before proceeding on," Tavington warned.

A few minutes later, Tavington and his men had positioned themselves to charge down the hill to the road ahead at Tavington's signal. As they surveyed the road ahead of them below and the left, their attention was centered where the road intersected with a wooded area by a swampy creek. Tavington was certain this was where Martin's men would be lurking in wait if they were in the area, as it was a perfect area from which to stage an ambush for slow moving wagons just coming around from the sharp, blind bend in the road.

Tavington's instincts about using this spot to conduct the ruse soon proved to be entirely correct as he surveyed the area with his spyglass. As he watched the plodding wagons move down the road toward the wooded creek, he detected movement in the trees.

"Aha!" Tavington smirked. "The rat has taken the cheese!" Calling out to his men, he said, "Prepare to charge on my signal. Keep your sabres sheathed for now, as we don't need to give away our position prematurely."

The dragoon leader continued to watch as Benjamin Martin suddenly emerged from the trees, with his men following at a safe distance.

Too far away to hear the exchange between Martin and the lieutenant, he merely observed the gestures and body language between the two men and knew that Martin was getting ready to attack. He noted that the men in the wagons did not emerge until he saw Martin give the signal to his men to attack.

Taking that as his own signal, Tavington gestured to his men, then ordered, "Charge!"

He spurred his horse into action followed closely by Bordon and Wilkins, and the rest of the men. They were upon Martin's partisans before the rebels had a chance to properly react, as they were still stunned from the surprise appearance of all the foot soldiers from the wagons The sound of 200 sabres singing as they were unsheathed and the sunlight that reflected off them like miniature flashes of lightning inspired terror among the partisans. Many turned to run, but it was already too late.

The dragoons came up rapidly on either side of the wagons and quickly spread out to surround the partisans, with their swinging sabres cutting down men right and left. While the previously hidden infantrymen from the wagon engaged in hand-to-hand combat in the middle of the affray, the dragoons attacked from the sides and circled around back to cut off methods of escape.

Though Ben Martin, his son, and several other men managed to escape into the swamps, the dragoons' encircling manoeuvre served to herd many others together where the infantrymen were able to easily round them up as prisoners.

The skirmish was soon over, thanks to the element of surprise. Tavington had sent a detachment to round up stragglers, while the foot soldiers relieved the already captured men of their weapons.

Bordon and Wilkins rode up to inspect the prisoners, looking each man over carefully. Noting the hard expressions on both men's faces, some of the militia men squirmed in discomfort, wondering just what the two dragoons were looking for.

"Do you see them, Wilkins?" Bordon asked, as they surveyed the group from a distance.

"I'm not sure," the other man replied. "Let's get a closer look."

Remembering Mary's description of the wretched excuses for men who had attacked her, Wilkins first looked for men with red hair, as they'd be the easiest to spot. He dismissed several possibilities because they were the wrong height or had the wrong features before spying a short man standing in the back, whose flame-red hair was partially hidden by his hat. As the tall dragoon scrutinized him more closely, he noted the wart that Mary had described near his right ear.

"Bordon!" Wilkins called out in exultation. "I've got him! Over here!"

As the two dragoons quickly moved closer, Bordon pointed at the man standing next to Sam, who had a pockmarked complexion and a knife scar on his chin, and said, "Looks like we have them both."

With a toothy, feral grin that did not reach his eyes, Wilkins said, "How obliging for them to make our job easier."

Bordon gestured to two infantrymen to bring the two partisans out in front of the other prisoners. As the soldiers prodded the two forward with their muskets, Sam called out indignantly, "What do you want with us? We didn't do nothin'!"

Wilkins, who had dismounted, strode up to the small man with a misleadingly casual pace. Seconds later, the diminutive rebel was on the ground spouting blood from a broken nose, courtesy of a crushing blow from Wilkins' huge right fist, still clad in black leather riding gloves.

"Let me refresh your memory," Wilkins said severely. "That women you raped at the horse farm a few weeks ago was _my sister_!"

"And my wife!" Bordon rumbled, in a deceptively soft tone of voice.

"Your wife?" Sam said stupidly, as he sat on the ground, still feeling his broken nose. "Why, we killed her man that day." Pausing to snort in derision, "And she's married again, you say, with her last husband barely cold in the ground? I guess it's true what they say then about Tory women being cold bitches."

Hauling the small partisan to his feet by the scruff of his neck, Wilkins growled, "Get up you miserable son of a bitch!" Turning to Bordon, he said, "Your turn."

Bordon punched him in the mouth, coldly satisfied by the crunching sound of several breaking teeth.

Harry, seeing the handwriting on the wall, tried to edge away while the two angry dragoons vented their revenge on his hapless friend. He didn't get far before he ran right into the six feet six inches of James Wilkins.

"Where do you think you're going?" the tall dragoon said frigidly, as he dragged Harry back to where Sam sprawled on the ground with Bordon still standing over him,

"I never touched your sister!" Harry gabbled in a desperate voice. "It was all Sam! It was his idea and he's the one who did it! You ask your sister! She'll tell you!"

"You fucking liar!" Wilkins roared. "My sister told me that if we'd not come to the farm that day when we did, you'd have raped her, too."

"Cowards, both of them," Bordon sneered contemptuously. "First, they're not man enough to stick to fighting men." Turning to the other prisoners, he asked rhetorically, "I ask you, what kind of a man fights an enemy by raping his women? That's not much of a man in my book."

"Then this cowardly chickenshit can't even own up to his part in it," Wilkins spat. "What kind of man doesn't take responsibility for his own actions?"

"Not much of a man at all, I'd say," Bordon replied grimly.

Tavington, who was seated atop his horse a short distance away watching the proceedings, made a motion with his hand that they should get on with what they planned to do.

"Let's get on with it, gentlemen," Tavington said in an almost bored done of voice. "We have other things to do today." The dragoon leader wanted to get the prisoners back to the fort before dark, so it was time for his two captains to take their revenge, rather than just talk about it.

Spying two trees about the right size, Bordon pointed and told two of the foot soldiers. "Bind them to those trees, facing forward."

"Yes, sir, right away." The foot soldier had assumed they were going to flog these men, so he was puzzled by the order to have them face forward, but knew it wasn't his place to comment. The two partisans were quickly lashed to the trees, with arms pulled behind them.

"I suppose this will have to do," Bordon told Wilkins, holding up his riding crop. I should have thought to bring a cat o'nine tails with me."

"We're not going to spend much time flogging them, so it'll do just fine," Wilkins replied, swinging his own crop across Sam's face, where it split his lip open. "Just a few good whacks." Swinging again, he left a large welt on the side of Harry's cheek, "See, this works just fine."

Both men forcefully swung the crops at the two men several times, leaving the rebels' faces a bloody mess. Indignant mutterings were heard among the other prisoners as this went on, but no one spoke up loudly, for fear of the same thing happening to them. Most of the men had no idea why Sam and Harry had been singled out for such treatment.

A few minutes later, Bordon and Wilkins exchanged glances. Stepping back from the two rebels, who now hung moaning against their bindings, Bordon said to Wilkins, "Let's do it."

After a nod from the tall dragoon, Bordon told the infantry man standing by, "Take down their breeches, soldier."

The young soldier gave a double-take, but did as the captain had ordered then stepped back, not wanting to see what would happen next.

"Sabre practice?" Wilkins asked Bordon.

"Sabre practice," Bordon agreed.

As both men took their places in front of the bound prisoners, Sam cried out, "This isn't right! For the love of God, have mercy?"

"And you think what you did to my sister was _right_?" Wilkins demanded. "Did either of you show _her _any mercy?"

Without further ado, both men unsheathed their sabres with a menacing metallic ring and swung, each neatly severing the offending bits of anatomy from the two partisans.

As Sam and Harry began screaming in agony at the loss of their genitalia, the muttering among the prisoners turned into a loud buzz. All the rumours they'd heard about the brutality of the Green Dragoons had apparently been true. And the sight of William Tavington sitting impassively on his horse, watching the actions of his two captains without emotion, only served to further fuel the indignation.

"Let's finish it," Wilkins told Bordon.

Nodding, Bordon agreed, then plunged his sabre deep into Sam's chest with no further ado, while Wilkins did the same with Harry.

Pausing only to wipe their sabres halfway clean on the dead men's clothing before sheathing them, the two dragoon captains returned to their horses and mounted, feeling utterly spent from what they'd had to do to avenge Mary.

The dead men were left bound to the tree, breeches down, to serve as a warning to Martin and the rest of his militia.

Raising his arm to signal the group, Tavington said, "Move out".

As the dragoons herded the remaining prisoners behind the wagons that had begun rumbling back the way they had come, flies had already begun to gather on the two corpses left behind.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The line "a crushing blow from Wilkins' huge right fist" was inspired by a similar line in the sixties-era song, "Big Bad John". Like Jim Wilkins, Big Bad John stood six foot six (and weighed 245).

**Historical note**: The cat o'nine tails whip was so named because the end had nine tails, which served to inflict more damage than a single tailed whip would during flogging.


	34. Reaction and Return

Several hours later, Ben and Gabriel Martin, along with the few men who'd managed to escape Tavington's trap with them, cautiously returned to the scene of the ambush. They'd hidden for many hours after fleeing from the Green Dragoons, and only crept out of their hiding place once they were sure that Tavington's men had ceased looking to round up stragglers.

As they warily emerged from the woods, they heard a loud buzzing sound coming from the edge of the clearing. The sound grew louder as they approached the source of the sound.

"Over here, "Gabriel called, pointing.

The group had come up behind where the corpses of Sam Sawyer and Harry Groves were still bound to the trees. Their heads lolled to one side with congealed blood still on their faces and back of their heads. Blood was also smeared on the tree trunks, and the soles of their boots showed from behind. Swarms of flies surrounded them, which proved to be the source of the buzzing.

The men hurried over at the sight of this, each wondering which of their comrades had met such a brutal end.

"Oh, dear God!" Gabriel exclaimed when he saw the battered, ruined faces of the men, then glanced down to see their mutilated crotches. Their severed penises were long gone, carried away by small animals.

His father wasn't fazed by the sight, as he'd seen and done worse when he'd served in the last war.

Gabriel's eyes bulged in horror at the sight. He ran suddenly to a set of nearby bushes, where he bent down and began to vomit, hurling the contents of his stomach in violent heaving waves. After he was finished, he remained on his knees for a good, long while, too overcome by what he'd just seen to stand.

"Are you all, right, son?" Ben asked, as he put a gentle hand on his son's shoulder.

"Why?" Gabriel demanded, still feeling nauseated. "Why did they do such a thing? And why to these two and not the others?"

"I don't know, son," Ben said sorrowfully. "But I can tell you one thing. We're going to get the rest of our men back from the British. There's no telling what will happen to them there if we leave them."

"How?" Gabriel was puzzled.

"I'll do the same thing to them that they did to us here today," Ben explained. "I'll create a ruse to get them to do what we want."

Walking away from the corpses, Ben said to the other men, "Go dig a couple of graves so we can bury these men properly."

After the men had left to carry out his wishes, Ben led Gabriel back to where their horses waited and sat down next to a tree. Waiting until Gabriel had joined him, he said, "Do you remember all the things we got in the last raid that belonged to General Cornwallis?"

"Yes," Gabriel affirmed. "But what does that have to do with getting our men back."

"Wait a moment and I'll tell you," Ben said, with a hint of impatience creeping into his voice. "There were quite a few British uniforms in that shipment and not all of them belonged to Cornwallis."

Pausing a moment to take a sip of water from his canteen, he continued, "I figure we can stuff several of those uniforms with straw, then tie them to trees in that big meadow approaching Fort Carolina. It's far enough away that it won't be easy to tell there aren't real men tied to those trees, but close enough that Cornwallis will be able to see uniformed figures with his spyglass. I'll simply go there under a flag of truce and tell them that we have the same number of his men as prisoners as he has of ours, and that I'm there to make a trade."

"Sounds like a good idea," Gabriel said. "It might just work."

"I know it will work," Ben said confidently. "And I'll offer to give his uniforms, diaries, and his dogs back to sweeten the deal."

"When do we leave?" the younger man asked.

"As soon as we give Sam and Harry a proper Christian burial," his father told him. "We won't go to the fort tonight, but we'll camp a bit closer to it than here, so we can get there during the morning. Remember that Isaac Shelby sent word that he needs as many men as possible to hunt down Patrick Ferguson, so we need to make haste to him as soon as our men are freed. It's our duty to help them."

"That it is," Gabriel agreed. "But after we've done that, I want to head back this way and deal with Tavington."

"We will, son, I promise you," Ben Martin vowed. "I intend to make him answer for his actions, sooner or later."

"We're all done digging the graves, sir," Occam told Ben about twenty minutes later, wiping the dirt off on his breeches as he spoke. "We lined the graves with some fresh leaves and you can say a few words over the graves any time you're ready."

"Thank you," Ben told him gratefully.

He and Gabriel followed the tall black man to where he and Jedidiah Moore had dug two holes in a clearing by a group of pine trees. He and Occam had pulled the dead men's breeches back up and fastened them before carefully laying them into the holes and had covered each of their faces with handkerchiefs.

Taking his place at the head of the graves, Ben said a few words before Occam and Jed filled in the graves.

"Dear Lord, accept the souls of these two men who fought for their country's right to God-given freedom," Ben prayed. "Let their deaths not be in vain."

A short time later, after the graves were complete, the men covered them with as many rocks and stones as they could find, then placed a stick at the head of each grave. Satisfied that they could find the graves again, if need be, the reduced number of partisans left, riding in the general direction of Fort Carolina.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

It was late afternoon by the time William Tavington and his men arrived back at the fort with the prisoners. Thankfully, Charlotte was nowhere in sight as the men put the captured partisans into the prisoner enclosure. Tavington wasn't sure if Benjamin Martin had told his men about his former sister-in-law's marriage, but even if he'd done so, he knew that most of Martin's men would not necessarily know Charlotte on sight. After making sure the prisoners were secure, he handed off his horse to a waiting groom at the stable, then hurried off to find Charlotte. He intended to make sure she was not seen by the prisoners while they were at the fort, as a necessary precaution to protect her, even if she was not known on sight as his wife by Martin's men.

Tavington was relieved to find Charlotte a few minutes later having tea with Mary Bordon and some of the other officers' wives in the room where the women usually gathered to socialize. All the women looked up expectantly as he entered the room, as they'd been able to hear his spurs jingling as he walked down the hall.

Charlotte's face lit up immediately upon seeing her husband. "Oh, William, I didn't expect you back this soon!"

"We concluded our business more quickly than I'd anticipated," he said smoothly, as he bent to kiss her hand. Turning to the other women, he said, "I'm afraid I must beg your forgiveness, but I must deprive you of my wife's company for now, as I have some urgent matters I must discuss with her." After a pause, he added, "Mrs Bordon, if you would kindly accompany us, as what I have to say will be relevant to you as well."

Looking distinctly alarmed, Mary Bordon quickly followed the Tavingtons out into the hallway. Colonel Tavington led the two women to a long sofa situated at the far end of the hallway and gestured for them to sit.

"Is my husband all right?" Mary blurted out after she'd seated herself on the sofa.

"Oh, yes, he's fine," Tavington assured her. "As is your brother." Seating himself next to Charlotte, he continued. "But I do have a serious matter to discuss with you both. We captured several prisoners in this operation from Benjamin Martin's militia. It would be best for you both to remain out of sight of these men as long as they're at the fort."

At that moment, both James Bordon and James Wilkins appeared from the doorway that led to the outside. Mary Bordon perked up immediately at the sight of her husband and brother.

"I was explaining to the ladies that it's important that they avoid being seen by the prisoners while they are at the fort." Rising from the sofa, he said, "I'll leave the two of you to fill in the details for Mrs Bordon, while I do the same with Mrs Tavington elsewhere. I'll expect you both by the prisoner holding area in about an hour so we can question the prisoners."

"Yes, sir," they replied.

Now quite curious, Charlotte followed her husband back to their quarters but did not speak until they were behind closed doors.

"What's going on?" Charlotte asked as she seated herself on the sofa.

"Something happened when we captured the prisoners," Tavington began. "I did not speak of it openly in front of Mrs Bordon, as that's her husband's place to tell her."

He removed his helmet and placed it on a table before joining her on the sofa. Taking Charlotte's hands in his own, he said, "We captured the two bastards who violated Mrs Bordon and killed her husband."

"Oh, so they're out in the prisoner enclosure," Charlotte reasoned. "I understand now why you'd want us to stay out of their sight."

Tavington sighed loudly at his wife's naïve misunderstanding. "No, my love," he said softly. "You misunderstand. Captains Bordon and Wilkins took their revenge on these pitiful excuses for men and in a most brutal fashion, I might add. I will not bore you with the details. Suffice it to say that neither of them will be assaulting any woman or killing any of my men in the future."

"Thank you for sparing me that," Charlotte said, gulping at the mere thought of what must have been done to these men. "I'm sure they deserved what happened to them, but I think I'm better off not knowing. At least Mary will be able to rest easier knowing they'll never hurt her again."

"Yes, my sweet," Tavington agreed. "And the other prisoners witnessed their execution, so I find it best that none of the fort's women be seen by the prisoners. I will be recommending to Lord Cornwallis that he temporarily make that area of the fort off-limits to all fort women."

"A good idea," Charlotte replied. "I, for one, have no desire to venture to that area."

"Even if we'd not captured those two partisans, I'd not want you down there among any of Benjamin Martin's men," Tavington told her. "I don't know if he told anyone beyond his family about your marriage to me, but even if he did, I'm sure that quite a few of them would not know you on mere sight, in any instance. And I'm quite sure that the two who violated Mrs Bordon are not the only ones among his group who would treat a Loyalist woman in such a fashion and that such men would find the wife of "The Butcher" a most attractive target."

"To answer your question about Ben, I don't think he would have told anyone other than his family about my marriage to you," Charlotte said slowly. "He is too prideful of a man to let it be known that he lost the woman he had long hoped to marry to his worst enemy. He would most definitely consider that to be too shameful of a thing to be generally known among his men."

Tavington chuckled appreciatively at his wife's words. "Well, as I've always said, may the better man win!"

"Oh, that you most definitely are, my love," Charlotte assured him, leaning forward to give him a quick peck on the cheek. "In more ways than one."

"And later on this evening, I intend to show you just how much better I am," Tavington purred seductively.

"Why not now?" Charlotte asked, boldly reaching to caress his manhood through his breeches, which immediately sprang to attention, ready for action.

"Why not, indeed," Tavington breathed as he took Charlotte into his arms. "Bordon and Wilkins can wait for awhile."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Charlotte murmured with a throaty laugh, as she began to unbutton his breeches.

"So eager," he rumbled, moving in to capture her mouth with his own. His questing tongue expertly stroked the inside of her mouth, as his hands moved to caress her breasts.

"This will have to be a quick one," he said a couple of moments later as he bent her forward over his desk in a corner of the room. "It will just be a foretaste of what I have planned for later tonight."

"I can hardly bear to wait," Charlotte answered.

"Just a moment," Tavington said a moment later as he quickly snatched up a bottle of ink and a couple of pens and moved them to another table. "I'm sure you remember what happened the last time we used this desk and I forgot to move the ink."

"Yes, I most certainly do," Charlotte said. "Ink all over one of my better petticoats and my shift! I ended up having to cut them both up to use for dust cloths!"

"Ah, but it was worth it," Tavington reasoned. "As I remember, that was one of our better couplings."

"Let's see if you can do even better this time," Charlotte said, lifting her petticoats up to reveal her backside to him as an invitation to get on with it.

"Patience, my dear," he purred, leaning over her to kiss the side of her neck as he guided his erection to the proper place. After using his other hand to make sure she was ready, he pushed forward and slipped inside smoothly.

"Mmm." she murmured in a sultry voice as she felt him fill her and begin to move. "Welcome home, Will."

"There's no place I'd rather be," he growled as he began thrusting enthusiastically in her. "Hold tight to the desk, as this is going to be a rough ride."

He immediately began to pick up the pace as Charlotte braced herself on the desk. She pushed back in unison with him to meet him thrust for thrust. A stack of papers on the side of the desk slipped off, with papers skittering across the floor in every direction, but neither Tavington nor Charlotte took any notice.

As Tavington neared his climax, the desk squeaked and groaned in protest. As he continued to rock back and forth into his wife, she began emitting a low guttural moan, which spurred Tavington on.

Within a couple of moments, he came with a satisfied grunt as he released his seed deep within her. They remained in that position for a long interval afterward, each savouring the moment.

Tavington reluctantly straightened up a short time later, then walked over to the dresser where he soaked a handkerchief from the water pitcher sitting there to clean himself off. Looking over at his wife as she rearranged her petticoats, he observed, "You've become insatiable since you've been with child."

"That happened to me with my first child, too," Charlotte informed him.

"I'm delighted with it," he told her, smiling devilishly. "Perhaps I need to keep you pregnant all the time. I'm predicting that we're going to end up with a houseful of children before we're done."

"God willing," Charlotte agreed.

Checking himself in the mirror after he'd buttoned up to make sure his hair was in place, Tavington said, "As much as I hate to go, I must meet with Captains Bordon and Wilkins. We're going to go down to the prisoner compound to see if we can…persuade…one of the partisans to reveal the location of Martin's base. I don't expect they'll tell me, but I must try."

"I'll be waiting for you," Charlotte promised.

"I don't imagine I'll be too long," he estimated. "We'll start back where we left off when I return."

/]/]/]/]/]/]/]/]/

_**Historical note**: Isaac Shelby was a leader of one of the "Overmountain Boys" militias. After receiving an ultimatum from British Major Patrick Ferguson to cease their activities against the British or else he'd come and lay waste to their land, Shelby and others gathered together men from several different partisan groups to hunt down Ferguson. This culminated in the battle at King's Mountain on October 7, 1780, where Ferguson was killed._


	35. Outrage and Vindication

William Tavington met Captains Bordon and Wilkins coming up from the stables as he headed that way a short time after leaving Charlotte. Pleased that they were on time, he approached them briskly, ready to get on with the task of questioning the prisoners.

"So," he said to both men. "How did it go when you told Mrs Bordon about disposing of the bastards who'd ravished her?"

"It went about as well as could be expected," Bordon slowly told him as the three men headed toward the prisoner compound. "I did not give her the graphic details, but I made it clear to her that they'd been made to pay and would not be troubling her or anyone else ever again."

"I did the same with my wife," Tavington said blandly. "She was grateful to me for sparing her the petty details, as she really did not want to know. It's better that way, I think, as most women tend to have such tender consciences."

Both captains nodded in agreement as they continued to walk.

As the prisoner compound came into view, Bordon turned to Tavington and asked, "Do you think it will do any good to interrogate these men?"

"I very much doubt it, but one never knows," Tavington replied in a non-committal tone. "And it doesn't really matter in any instance, as if they refuse, I have a valid reason to have them hanged. If one of them breaks down and tells me where their base is, I win again. Either way, I cannot lose."

At the prisoner enclosure, Tavington approached the bars, with Bordon and Wilkins flanking him on either side. As he surveyed the men inside with barely concealed disdain, the partisans returned his gaze, staring at the dragoon leader and his henchmen with a mixture of both fear and loathing.

Seeing that he had their attention, Tavington loudly said, "I am prepared to give parole to any man who will tell me the whereabouts of Benjamin Martin's base and any other useful information about his activities."

The partisans were momentarily nonplussed by Tavington's nerve to make such a proposition, but quickly recovered.

"You must be jesting if you think we're going to tell _you _anything, especially after what your men did to Sam and Harry," Rollins sneered, then spat a sizable wad of chewing tobacco in Tavington's direction. "You had no call to do that."

"No call?" Bordon repeated indignantly, his hand going to the hilt of his sabre as he stepped forward to confront the short statured colonist. "After what they did to my wife, I should have had them drawn and quartered."

"Vengeance belongs to the Lord," Reverend Oliver put in unctuously. "It wasn't your place to punish them for their sins."

James Wilkins whirled on the aging preacher. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself; riding with these bandits who would violate innocent women, as well as defy the King's God-given authority."

"Now, now, Captains," Tavington interjected calmly. "There's no need to justify your actions to these prisoners. You don't owe them any explanations, whatsoever." Turning to face the resentful partisans, he declared, "Every man who is not willing to give the information I've requested will be scheduled to hang for treason in the morning. It's just that simple."

Having said his piece, Tavington turned and walked away from the agitated prisoners without another word. He'd given them their chance. If they were unwilling to cooperate, then let them hang.

After a moment, his two captains turned and reluctantly followed him back to the main house.

"That didn't go well," Bordon said glumly once they were out of earshot of the prisoners. "No one volunteered to talk. I don't know why you didn't allow me to persuade a few of them."

"I know most of those men," Wilkins put in. "I don't think it would have helped. I think it would have only served to make them more recalcitrant."

"I tend to concur with Captain Wilkins," Tavington said. "I intend to assign some men to build a gallows in full view of the prisoners. That will give them all something to think about and it's quite possible that it will cause at least one man to reconsider." With a dismissive gesture, he concluded, "If not, then we've removed quite a few men from Martin's militia with a minimum of effort."

"That's true," Bordon reluctantly agreed.

"Why don't you go find your wife, Bordon, and let her unsheath that sabre of yours for awhile," Tavington suggested. "That's what I intend to spend the night doing with mine."

Bordon briefly reddened at his superior officer's vulgar reference, but then said, "A fine idea, Colonel."

Turning to Wilkins, Tavington said, "And I'd suggest you go see who is available down among the camp followers, Wilkins."

"I've already made arrangements," Wilkins announced with a tight grin. "Tarleton and Hanger tried to get me to play faro with them tonight, but I told them I had better things to do."

"Excellent," Tavington said smoothly. "I'll see you both tomorrow morning, not too early, down by the gallows. We'll give them all one last chance to talk and if we get no takers again, I'll give the order to proceed with the hangings."

"Even the preacher?" Wilkins asked.

"Especially the preacher," Tavington shot back. "Out of all of them, he's the one who should have known better than to get involved in this rebellion."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

William Tavington lingered in bed with Charlotte until mid-morning the next day. As he'd promised her, they'd spend most of the previous night engaging in bed sport, with both of them sleeping in the next morning.

He was awakened by a persistent tapping at the door, which took awhile for him to hear from the bedroom.

"Hold on, I'm coming," he muttered as he slipped his banyan on over his naked body, then padded to the door in bare feet.

The dragoon yanked the door open, somewhat grumpily, to find Bordon standing there.

"Benjamin Martin just arrived at the fort under a flag of truce and he's going into the Lord General's office now," Bordon announced urgently. "I thought you'd want to know."

"Yes, thank you Bordon," Tavington replied. "Give me a few minutes to get dressed and I'll meet you downstairs."

After Bordon left, he returned to the bedroom where he found Charlotte sitting up in bed, yawning and stretching.

"I'm sorry, love, but I most go and attend to a matter downstairs," he told her as he began to dress. "Martin has shown up at the fort under a flag of truce to see the Lord General, and I need to go see just what it is he wants."

"Oh, dear," Charlotte said, shaking her head at Ben's foolishness. "When Ben gets a notion into his head, all common sense frequently flees from it."

"That's a good thing," Tavington asserted as he arranged his hair into a neat queue.. "It will make it much easier for me to defeat him if he frequently acts on impulse without stopping to think of possible consequences."

Charlotte sighed gustily. "I just wish he'd had the sense to stay out of this war, considering he has all those children to care for by himself."

"Well, he didn't have the sense and it's my duty to put an end to his activities," her husband shot back, his mild tone not concealing his determination. Leaning over to give Charlotte a kiss, he said, "I would appreciate it if you would stay out of sight until Martin can be dealt with. With any luck, I shouldn't be too long."

Leaving his quarters without any further ado, Tavington found Bordon and Wilkins a few moments later, waiting just outside the main building for him .

"Martin is still in there with the Lord General," Bordon informed his superior officer as Tavington joined them.

"Do you have a clue why he's here?" Tavington asked

"I'd say he's going to try to negotiate to get his men released," Wilkins ventured.

"Good luck on _that_," Tavington said harshly, with a short bark of scornful laughter

At that moment, General O'Hara came outside and headed down the steps toward where they were standing.

"Do you have any idea what Benjamin Martin wanted to see the Lord General for?" Tavington asked O'Hara. "I'm surprised he would show his face here after the thrashing I gave him yesterday".

"He is here to arrange a prisoner exchange," O'Hara told him, impatient to move on from the curious dragoon. "I'm on my way now to give the order to have his men released."

"Released?" Tavington exclaimed indignantly. "You can't do that! These prisoners are scheduled to be executed today for treason!"

"They won't be executed today, Colonel," O'Hara declared firmly, his tone increasingly testy, "He has eighteen of our officers that we can't afford to lose."

Making a rude noise of disgust, Tavington grated out, "He had no prisoners when we fought him yesterday. I strongly suspect that he's lying"

"It's no lie, Colonel Tavington," O'Hara shot back, now thoroughly exasperated with the junior officer. "He has them tied to trees in the far meadow and showed the Lord General through his spyglass."

Tavington was still not convinced. "I still think it's a mistake to release the prisoners. They are wreaking havoc on our supply trains and each man I capture makes my job that much easier."

"The Lord General has given the order to release them," O'Hara insisted frostily. "Surely, you don't mean to be insubordinate?"

"No, sir," Tavington said reluctantly, still seething with rage over this misguided order.

As the three dragoons watched the pompous general head off in the direction of the prisoner enclosure, Tavington tore off his bearskin helmet and threw it to the ground in helpless frustration.

"I cannot believe that the Lord General was taken in by that damned farmer!" Tavington spat. "How naïve could he be? Does he have any idea how this undermines my authority and how it makes me look in front of the rebels"

Bordon and Wilkins stood by helplessly, not having any words of encouragement to offer their leader.

"If you need me, I'll be down at the stables," Tavington said wearily, as he retrieved his dragoon helmet and stalked off.

Both men looked after him as he walked away, unsurprised, as they knew that Tavington liked to work out his frustrations by giving his horse a good grooming, a task he normally left to stable hands.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

A little over an hour later, as Tavington was escorting Charlotte to the noon meal, they met two infantry soldiers awkwardly carrying two straw dummies, dressed in British infantry officer's uniforms, up the steps to the main building.

"What's this?" Tavington demanded as the soldiers struggled up the stairs with their cumbersome burdens.

"These are the bleedin' 'officers' the Lord General exchanged our prisoners for," one disgruntled sergeant told him in candid disgust.

"Is that so?" Tavington replied, grimly satisfied to be proven correct. A grin could not help but tug at the corner of his lips, "That's quite interesting, wouldn't you agree, Charlotte?"

"Quite interesting," she concurred. William had told her what had happened with his prisoners after he'd returned to their quarters from the stables.

"Would you mind going on to the mess hall without me?" Tavington asked her, a sudden thought having formed in his mind "I think I need to be there when these men show the Lord General just what he got in return for setting those partisans free."

Charlotte suppressed a laugh, but smiled conspiratorially with her husband. She almost pitied General Cornwallis, as she knew that William was going to give him "what for", albeit within the limits of military protocol.

"Go head, darling," she said, waving him off. "I'll just take my meal with the Bordons."

"I'll see you soon," he told her. "Tell Bordon and Wilkins what's going on."

"I surely will," she promised.

After giving Charlotte a peck on the cheek, he followed the two infantrymen to the Lord General's office, where Cornwallis was presumably waiting for the non-existent officers to arrive.

The door to the general's office opened as they approached it, with General O'Hara stepping out into the hall.

"What's all this?" O'Hara demanded as the infantrymen moved to wrestle the straw dummies through the doorway.

"Why, it's two of the _officers_ my prisoners were exchanged for," Tavington told him, his voice oily with satisfied scorn. As he squeezed past the bewigged general, he hissed, "I told you so."

As they entered the office, General Cornwallis rose from his desk when he saw the commotion at the door.

"Explain yourself, Sergeant," he ordered the first man, who let the dummy he was carrying drop to the floor.

"All we found when we went to the meadow were these clothed dummies, my Lord," the sergeant told him sheepishly. "The rebels were long gone by the time we got there. There weren't any of our men there at all, but just several of these dummies."

"I advised General O'Hara that this was likely a ruse, as Martin had no prisoners with him when we encountered his group yesterday," Tavington said, shrugging, leaving unsaid the fact that his advice was ignored.

"Is this so, O'Hara?" Cornwallis demanded peevishly.

"Uh, ah, yes, my Lord," O'Hara stammered in embarrassment, furious at being humiliated by an upstart like William Tavington.

"Did it not occur to you that we should have sent for Colonel Tavington and, perhaps, Mistress Tavington, as she is Martin's former sister-in-law?" Cornwallis said to the younger general, oblivious to the fact that he'd not thought to do so, either.

"No, my Lord," O'Hara said. "I merely sought to carry out the orders you gave."

Cornwallis sighed loudly, wondering if it was too much to expect his aide to have an independent thought now and again.

Turning away from O'Hara, Cornwallis addressed Tavington "I want revenge. I don't care how you accomplish it, just do it. I trust that I'll be able to count on you to get the job done."

"Most assuredly, my Lord," Tavington said, baring his teeth in a feral grin. "I quite look forward to it, actually."

"Excellent," Cornwallis said, returning the dragoon's smile. "I want you to wipe Benjamin Martin and his militia off the face of the Earth."

"Consider it done," Tavington told him confidently.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\


	36. Travel Plans and Furloughs

"You certainly fooled Cornwallis with your plan," Gabriel said admiringly to his father after the older Martin arrived back at their prearranged meeting place, along with the released prisoners. "I have to hand it to you; I wasn't at all sure that your idea would work."

"Of course it worked, just as I knew it would," Martin replied. "After reading the General's diaries, I had a pretty good idea of how his mind worked, so I was quite confident of my plan. You should have more trust in your old father; I won't steer you wrong."

"You came just in time, too," Reverend Oliver put in. "Tavington was going to execute us all today if we did not give you up to him."

"I saw the gallows," Martin answered heavily. "As soon as we saw what those bastards did to Sam and Harry, I knew I had to quickly get all of you out by whatever means possible."

"Jim Wilkins claimed that they raped his sister that day at the Miller farm," Reverend Oliver told him hesitantly.

"I didn't see any such thing happen that day," Ben Martin doggedly insisted.

"Nor did I," the reverend concurred. "But I can't say that it _didn't_ happen. Regardless, however, they deserved to have been tried before a court of law and did not deserve to be butchered as they were."

Martin snorted, but did not otherwise reply, at the thought of any of his men getting a fair trial under the British, especially where Tavington was involved.

"Enough about that for now," Martin told the group. "We need to start heading north as quickly as we can to meet up with Shelby and his men. I expect that most of the militia groups in both North and South Carolina are heading his way now."

As the men broke up camp and stowed their gear on their horses, a teenage boy from Pembroke came riding hard into camp. Looking around, he rode directly to where Rollins stood talking with John Billings.

"Mr Rollins!" Jeremiah Hawkins called out breathlessly. "Your sister sent me to fetch you back home, because your wife has gone into labour."

"Damn, she's not due for another month," the pock-marked partisan exclaimed "Are you sure she's really in labour?"

"Your sister seemed awful sure," the boy told him, shrugging.

"I suppose she must be, then," Rollins replied. "Because birthin' babies is something my sister knows all about, seein' as she has four of her own."

Benjamin Martin, who had overheard the conversation between Rollins and the Pembroke youth, put in, "Go ahead and tend to your wife, Rollins. We'll get along without you for this battle." Looking over at Billings, who was still suffering with tooth pain, he added, "You go on along with him, Billings, and have something done about that tooth for once and for all."

"Are you sure?" Billings asked. "I wouldn't want to leave you short or nothin'."

"I'm positive," Martin assured both men. "Shelby will be drawing in men from all over to help him and two men less won't matter at all."

"I'm much obliged to you," Rollins told Ben. "I'm kind of worried, as she's not had a baby yet that's lived more 'n a few days."

"Think nothing of it," Martin replied. "I had seven of my own, so I know how it is. We'll meet back up in Pembroke after we've helped Shelby track down Ferguson and have dealt with him."

Within moments, Rollins and Billings had collected their gear and had ridden off with Jeremiah Hawkins, heading back to Pembroke as fast as their horses could carry them.

Shortly after the two partisans had left for Pembroke, Benjamin Martin and the rest of his men finished breaking camp and headed in the opposite direction, riding hard to the north.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"I've consulted with Captain Wilkins and we now have a list of names and homestead locations for several of Martin's men," William Tavington told General Cornwallis a few hours later. "He was able to give me a definitive list after consulting with his sister, who was able to identify several men who participated in the raid on the Miller farm." After a pause, he added, "It will be enough to definitely make an impression on them. I would imagine that quite a few of his men will have to cease their rebellious activities for quite some time in order to properly resettle their families."

"That sounds like an good plan," Cornwallis said, giving his stamp of approval to it. "When do you plan to start?"

"First thing in the morning," Tavington told him. "The latest intelligence I've been given puts Martin and his group riding hard to the north, so this should allow us to cover the area I've chosen free of interference."

After moving on to discuss some routine matters with the Lord General, Tavington left to go find Charlotte, so he could spend some time with her before having to start his mission. He found her in the courtyard, coming up from the direction of the Bordons' quarters.

"Ah, there you are," Tavington said, as he planted a brief kiss on her cheek. "I was wondering where you'd gone, until I saw Ruth and she advised me that you'd decided to go visit Mrs Bordon for awhile. I trust that you enjoyed yourselves?"

"Oh, yes," Charlotte assured him. "Mary has been a good friend since she's come to stay at the fort. She's been a fount of knowledge for all my questions about motherhood and the care of babies."

The couple walked around the perimeter of the camp, as was their habit, as they continued their conversation.

"I'll be leaving in the morning to go on patrol again," he told her as they walked past the tent encampment. "The Lord General wants me to put more pressure on Martin's militia, so I'll be making raids on the homesteads of partisans, from the list that Mrs Bordon provided to us."

Charlotte remained silent for a moment, deep in thought.

"What are you thinking about?" her husband asked, noticing her pensive expression.

"Recently, I've been thinking that it's about time to make a check of the plantation again, to see how things are doing," she said slowly, not sure of how he'd react. "I also want to retrieve my maternity jumps and the baby linen I've been saving since my first baby died. It came from England and it cost very dearly, so I'd really hate to see it go to waste. Perhaps now would be a good time for me to go, before I get too big to travel."

"I'd feel better if you stayed at the fort," Tavington told her honestly. "But if you're determined to go, I would agree that this would indeed be the best time to go, when Martin's partisans are engaged elsewhere."

"Oh, thank you, Will," she said breathlessly, leaning up to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I think the trip will do me good, just to see somewhere different for a change as well."

"No doubt," he said, smiling indulgently. "I'll expect you to thank me more thoroughly once we get back behind closed doors."

"I intend to," she murmured, batting her eyes seductively at him, putting a hand on his arm.

"I can scarcely wait," he said lowly, leaning in to kiss her. They broke away from one another reluctantly when a group of foot soldiers passed by, moving on to continue their walk.

"When do we leave?" Charlotte asked him a few moments later.

"First thing in the morning," he told her. "Do you think you're up to riding or would you prefer to use a carriage?"

"I believe I'll ride," she said. "My morning sickness has largely abated, so I think I'll be fine."

"Ruth will need to come along as well," he decided. "And I will leave a couple of men at the plantation with you after we leave to do the raids. I expect that we'll be able to return to the plantation in the evenings to spend the night, but we'll be gone during the day. I've planned to take three days to make these raids, as the homesteads on the list are all fairly close to one another."

Charlotte nodded. "I'll be glad to have Ruth's company. And I'll feel more secure having the soldiers nearby."

As the couple returned to the main building, Tavington said, "I'm sorry, love, but I must go find Bordon and Wilkins and let them know that we'll be heading out tomorrow. I shouldn't be all that long and when I return, we'll have something to eat."

"That's fine, as I need to find Ruth and let her know we'll be going to the plantation," Charlotte said. "She'll need to do some packing for us for the trip."

"I'll see you soon, then," Tavington told her, giving her a peck on the cheek.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Ezekiel Rollins and John Billings slipped into Pembroke unnoticed early that evening. They'd made their way as much as possible away from the main roads, sticking to narrow trails, in order to avoid British patrols.

Rollins' second sister, Tabitha, and her husband Nathan Hudson, had a small house on the outskirts of Pembroke. It was situated in a clearing that was out of sight from the main road at the end of a narrow, twisting lane leading out from the road. Their house had been overflowing ever since Rollins' wife, Naomi, and his other sister Mattie and her four children had come to live with them. Tabitha was the oldest living sibling in the Rollins family and her five sons were all grown up and gone, which had been a fortunate thing when her in-laws had come to live with them.

As the two partisans entered the Hudson property from the woods side, Rollins noticed two of his young Draper nephews playing out behind the barn.

"Uncle Zeke!" the older boy, Daniel, called out as the two men approached. "What are you doing here? I thought you were off fighting redcoats."

"Never you mind, boy," Rollins growled irritably. "Where's your Ma?"

"She's inside the house with Aunt Naomi," the boy reported. "She sent us outside 'cause Aunt Naomi is having a baby and she didn't want us underfoot."

Before either Rollins or the boy could speak again, they heard an animal-like howl coming from an open window.

"She's been doing that for hours," the boy told him. "I remember my Ma doing that when little Georgie was born. It must hurt something' powerful to have a baby."

Rollins' pushed past the boy once he heard the scream, heading to the house. As he was about to open the door, it opened to reveal his sister Mattie.

"You're finally here," she said, giving him a sour look. "Took you long enough."

"I came as soon as I got your message," he told her. "You should know I can't just ride down the main road, what with these bastards like Tavington riding them all the time lookin' for folks like me."

"You'd best go on in there and see her," Mattie advised him. "Granny Holt's been with her all night and said she's in a bad way. The baby jus' doesn't seem to want to come out. Granny said the head's likely too big to fit."

"All right, I'm goin'," he said peevishly.

As Rollins opened the door to the bedroom, Naomi howled again, shaking the bed frame in sheer agony. Her lank brown hair was matted and stringy and the sweaty sheets were bloodstained, which bore witness to her lengthy travail.

"She's been callin' for you," Tabtha told him.

"More like swearin' about him," the elderly midwife put in under her breath.

As soon as the most recent wave of pain abated, Naomi Rollins noticed her husband standing in the doorway.

"Zeke Rollins, you miserable son of a bitch!" the suffering woman swore. "It's your fault that I'm havin' to go through all of this!"

"As I rightly recall, you didn't complain about it at the time," he faintly bragged. "In fact, you were beggin' for more."

"Never again!" Naomi vowed. "You'll be sleepin' in the barn from now in, I swear it."

"That's what you say now," Rollins shot back. "But you can't deny me my husbandly rights, no matter what you say."

"Ya'll need to hush up now," Granny Holt told the squabbling couple. "Naomi needs to save her strength if she's to get through this and have a live baby."

"Go on outside, Zeke," Tabitha told him. "I'll call you if you're needed. There's some stew heating, so why don't you go and have something to eat."

Rollins didn't need to be told twice. He went back outside, where Billings was waiting, talking to Daniel and his brother, Luke.

"How's she doin'," Billings asked as Rollins approached him.

"She's got a long ways to go," the smaller man replied. "Why don't you come inside and have something to eat before you go lookin' for the doctor?"

"Don't mind if I do," Billings said eagerly. "My stomach's been growling for about two hours now."

The two men trooped into the house where Mattie was dishing up stew onto pewter plates from the big iron pot hanging in the hearth.

"Mmm, this is good," Billings said a few moments later. "I don't when I've had a tastier meal."

"I thank you kindly," Mattie said, blushing.

"Mattie did always beat all making stew," Rollins agreed. Turning to his sister, he asked, "How have you all been getting along since I brought you here."

"About as well as you'd expect," she said, sighing heavily. "Tabby and Nathan have been as good as gold havin' us here, but we're mighty crowded and sometimes tempers get frayed about like you'd imagine." Heaving another sigh, she added, "Nathan is thinking about building a little cabin for me and the youngins, but I hate to put him to that much work as he's not as young as he used to be."

"You'll probably find yourself another man before this war is over," Rollins predicted. "Then you'll have another place of your own and probably more youngins to boot."

"I still wish I had the _old_ man," Mattie grumbled. "I still miss Elijah something powerful. Damn that bastard Tavington for taking him from me!"

"I promise you, me and the boys will get him if it's the last thing we ever do," Rollins said seriously. "I'll have you dancing on his grave one of these days soon."

"I look forward to it," Mattie said grimly. "Nothing would make me happier, believe me."

"I'd best be going, if I'm going to find the doctor tonight," Billings said a few minutes later after he finished eating. "The sooner I can get rid of this bad tooth, the happier I'll be."

"Come on back here after you see him," Rollins told him. "You can bunk in the barn."

"Maybe by the time I get back, the baby will be here," Billings predicted.

"I certainly hope so," Rollins agreed.

After Billings rode off, Rollins went to sit on a fallen log down near the barn to enjoy his pipe for awhile to pass the time as he waited for the baby to be born. He felt a bit drowsy after finishing the contents of his pipe, so he ambled over to the barn to get a bit of a nap.

Several hours later, he was startled awake by an urgent voice.

"Zeke! Zeke!" Mattie called urgently. "You need to come now!"

"Hmm, wha-?" he mumbled as he shook the sleepy fog from himself. He looked up blearily to see Mattie standing there in her shift holding up a lantern in the darkness. Billings had returned, now asleep on a pile of hay a few feet away, softly snoring.

"Come on, Zeke," she urged. "You'd best hurry if you want to see Naomi alive one last time!"

Hearing the desperation in his sister's words, Rollins hastily scrambled to his feet and stumbled after her back to the house.

But it was too late. Granny Holt was standing in the doorway to the bedroom as they came in, bowed in sheer exhaustion.

"I'm sorry," she croaked. "We lost her. The baby was turned around all wrong inside of her and she lost too much blood."

"The baby?" he managed to ask, looking utterly defeated.

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "It was a boy."

He pushed past the old woman to take one last look at his wife, who lay still and at peace, with her dead babe beside her.

Rollins stared dumbly for a long moment, not quite registering what his eyes told him. It barely registered when his two sisters came to stand on either side of him in wordless comfort.

Finally, he spoke. "You know, I was always amazed that such a pretty girl wanted to marry an ugly old bastard like me. I'll be forever grateful that she did, but I'll never understand it."

After a long interval, his eyes hardened and he strode quickly from the room, wanting to be alone. Rollins headed straight for the barn, where he knew that Tabby's husband kept several jugs of moonshine. The diminutive partisan intended to get thoroughly drunk and stay that way until Ben Martin and the rest of the group returned.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

**Historical note**: _Jumps were a less restrictive form of stays, with little to no boning. They were chiefly worn by pregnant women , elderly women, and women with certain medical issues._


	37. A Visit Home

The next morning, by the time dawn came on a cool and crisp morning, Tavington and his dragoons were well on their way toward the Tavington plantation. The temperature had been somewhat chilly as the horsemen had left the fort in the predawn darkness, but as the sun had crept up over the trees, the day had become pleasantly cool.

Though not in a particular hurry, the group made good time. It had been an uneventful and agreeable trip through the autumnal South Carolina countryside, with the trees in brilliant shades of red, yellow, and orange. They'd made fairly frequent rest stops to accommodate for Charlotte's pregnancy, stopping at a quiet meadow by a babbling brook for the noon meal.

By mid-afternoon, the dragoon column was cantering up the tree-lined lane to the plantation. Slaves were under apple trees in a nearby orchard, harvesting the fruit as the horses thundered past. As they drew up to a halt in front of the main house, Charlotte thought to herself that the grounds looked peaceful and serene, almost fooling one into believing that there was no war raging all around them.

As William helped her to dismount, Rufus and Magnolia hurried onto the porch, alerted to their approach by the rumbling of horse hooves,

"Miss Charlotte!" Magnolia cried. "We weren't expectin' you!"

"It was a last minute decision," she replied gaily, her feet now firmly planted on the ground "William has some business in the area and I thought I'd come along to check on things. Ruth and I will be here for a few days, while William is conducting his business and he and his men should be returning each night."

"Give me a little bit of time and I'll have a good meal cooked up for you and the Colonel," Magnolia promised. "I'll send Bessie upstairs to freshen your bedroom and I'll have Lucius set up a bath for you."

"Thank you, Magnolia," Charlotte said warmly, glad to be at home, even for only a little while. "I appreciate that."

Turning to her husband, she bent close and murmured, "I'll bet that you'd like to share my bath, what with all the road dust on you."

"Oh, yes, I would," he said, chuckling lowly "I really must look my best tomorrow when raiding rebel homesteads, wouldn't you think? I'll have all their wives swooning over me."

"Oh, William, you're incorrigible," Charlotte said, laughing.

"That's why you love me, my dear," he replied smoothly, as they started upstairs to wait for their bath.

"Too true," she agreed, smiling merrily.

After a brief dalliance in the tub, which ended up being carried over to the bed, the Tavingtons enjoyed a good dinner. They retired early, leaving Captains Wilkins and Bordon to a game of chess in the parlour.

"I'm so happy to be at home," Charlotte sighed a couple of hours later, as they reclined side by side in the afterglow of their bed sport. "I never sleep so well as in my own bed."

"I know what you mean," Tavington replied drowsily. "But I am happy sleeping anywhere, as long as it's with you."

"I agree," Charlotte said warmly. "I love you, William."

Tavington did not reply, as he'd already drifted off to sleep and had begun to snore softly

The blond woman rolled over and smiled at her sleeping husband, looking so carefree in sleep. Snuggling close, she soon joined him in slumber.

When she awakened the next morning, she was alone in bed. As she glanced over at the window, Charlotte saw that the sun was fairly high in the sky; she'd overslept and William had apparently not tried to wake her as he left.

Stretching her arms out as she yawned loudly, Charlotte slipped out of bed to start the day. As she donned a fresh shift, she noticed a piece of paper lying on her writing desk. Picking it up, she recognized her husband's angular handwriting.

"…_you were sleeping so soundly when I got up this morning, that I could not bear to wake you. I knew you needed your rest after the long ride yesterday. Please take care and I hope to see you some time this evening…"_

After reading the rest of the note, she slipped a dressing gown over her shift, then poked her head out into the hallway.

Calling out to a passing maid, she said, "Please send Ruth in to help me with my stays."

"Right away, Mistress Tavington," the girl replied briskly.

A few moments later, as Ruth was lacing her stays from behind, she said, "Miss Charlotte, it's getting harder to properly lace your stays. And I'm rather afraid to pull the laces too tightly, in fear of crowding the baby."

"Yes, I do believe it's about time for me to be wearing maternity jumps," Charlotte agreed. "I have a few from my first pregnancy years ago around here somewhere. I think they were packed in the attic, as I could not bear to look at them after losing my baby."

"Do you want me to go have a look?" Ruth asked.

"Yes, but I believe I'll go with you," Charlotte decided. "There's a bassinet up there as well, I'll want to bring back to the fort with me. I also have some baby linen that I saved, much of it unused, but I'm thinking I put that in a chest in one of the spare bedrooms, rather than in the attic, as I'd intended to use it for something else. I'd forgotten about it after John died."

Reaching through her wardrobe, she said, "I'll just throw on a bed gown over my petticoat for now while we look. I have some looser gowns in a wardrobe in one of the spare bedrooms that I'll have to take a look at when we're done in the attic."

A knock came at the door just as Charlotte had finished dressing. Ruth opened the door to admit one of the maids, carrying a breakfast tray for Charlotte.

"I took the liberty of having Magnolia sending up a tray for you," Ruth explained. "You'll need your strength if we're going to spend time looking through the attic."

"Thank you, Ruth," Charlotte said in gratitude. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You take such good care of me."

A short time later, the two women were rooting through the attic, looking through the various trunks and chests there.

"I think I've found them!" Charlotte called out to Ruth, after opening a trunk near the attic window.

Ruth stopped what she was doing, looking expectantly at the other woman, glad to be through with the search.

A moment later, the blond woman said quietly, "Oh, dear, I suppose I should not have stored them in the attic."

She held one set of jumps up for Ruth to see, which were badly stained and moth-eaten and also looked as if rodents had been nibbling on them.

"What are you going to do?" Ruth nearly wailed. "They're ruined!"

"We'll have to go into Pembroke," Charlotte decided. "There's a staysmaker there whose wife is a seamstress. I was planning to have a few maternity gowns made anyway, and the Pembroke seamstress is much better than what I've seen at the fort."

"Do you think it's a good idea to go there?" the other woman asked anxiously. "From what I hear, the people there don't like the Colonel at all!"

"It should be fine with Ben and his men occupied elsewhere," Charlotte reasoned. "Colonel Tavington told me that Ben and his militia had been spotted riding hard to the north. They should be away from the area for several days at least, I would imagine."

Putting a reassuring hand on Ruth's shoulder, she continued, "And though I'm acquainted with several of the townspeople, I don't think many of them know I've married the Colonel. Ben would be too prideful to tell people that I rejected his proposal in order to marry William. So, I'd still just be "Widow Selton" to the folks in town."

"I don't know," Ruth said dubiously. "Perhaps you should wait until the Colonel can go with you."

"Nonsense!" Charlotte insisted. "He's too busy carrying out the Lord General's orders to take time to escort me to see the seamstress. William left me a couple of men and they should be quite sufficient to accompany us." Straightening up, she dropped the ruined jumps onto the floor and said, "We'll go after lunch, then."

"Yes, Miss Charlotte," Ruth said, still apprehensive. She also had been feeling vaguely queasy all morning and the proposed trip to Pembroke only increased her nausea.

"Why don't we check the spare bedrooms for the baby linen and the gowns that I mentioned," Charlotte suggested. "I would imagine they fared better, not being stored in the attic."

"No doubt," Ruth agreed.

It was so. Charlotte found the baby linen wrapped in tissue paper in a chest of drawers, in a rarely used guest bedroom. The gowns in question, hung waiting in a nearby wardrobe..

"Well, that's a relief," Charlotte said. "With it being nearly impossible to get new linen of this quality from England now, I'm glad that what I have will still be serviceable." Giving a critical look at the gowns, she said, "But these gowns are a bit out of style. I believe I'll bring them along and see if the seamstress can't restyle them a bit and freshen them up. I'll want to have a few new gowns made as well, I'm thinking."

"Yes, Miss Charlotte," Ruth agreed.

"Perhaps we'll order a gown or two for you as well," Charlotte decided. "It's been awhile since you've had new clothes."

"I'd appreciate that," Ruth said. "Thank you."

"It's about time to eat," Charlotte noted. "Why don't you come and eat with me?"

A little while later, as the two women were eating, Ruth, who'd not spoken much during the meal, suddenly jumped up and ran from the room without explanation.

Though puzzled, Charlotte did not call out to her but calmly resumed eating. Whatever the problem was, Ruth would explain when she returned.

It was nearly twenty minutes later before Ruth returned. Charlotte looked up at her with a quizzical expression as the servant sheepishly took her seat.

"I'm sorry, Miss Charlotte," Ruth apologized. "It was my stomach. I needed to get to the outhouse before it was too late."

Charlotte wiped her mouth with her napkin, then put it on her plate, now finished with her meal.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Charlotte asked, eyebrow raised. "I notice you've been spending a great deal of time with Sergeant Waters..."

"Oh, no, Mistress!" Ruth declared, blushing at the inference. "It's nothing like that at all. I think it was something I had for breakfast that didn't quite agree with me."

"Well, you should stay home and rest, then," Charlotte decided. "I don't mind going into Pembroke on my own."

"Oh, I'm feeling better now," Ruth told her.

"Nonsense," Charlotte insisted. "It's always best to rest right after one has had a stomach ailment. I'll have Magnolia to make her home remedy for you, then you should go lie down for the rest of the afternoon."

"Are you sure you don't want to wait for Colonel Tavington to go to town with you?" Ruth asked.

"Very sure," Charlotte said. "I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine."

"If you say so, Miss Charlotte," Ruth said, still unconvinced.

The servant knew that, even without a war going on, that many of the residents of Pembroke mistrusted and envied her wealthy employer for her good fortune. And if her recent marriage to Colonel Tavington became generally known, it certainly wouldn't do anything to enhance her reputation among the clannish citizens of Pembroke. But it wasn't her place to second-guess her employer's actions, so she kept silent.

A short time later, Charlotte Tavington ushered the two dragoons that William had left behind to protect her into the front parlour.

"Gentlemen," she began. "Please have a seat." After the two young men complied hesitantly, she said, "I wanted to inform you that I'll be making a trip into Pembroke today to visit the seamstress and you'll be escorting me. I'll be riding in my carriage with one of my slaves, Lucius, driving."

"Begging your pardon, Mistress Tavington," one of the dragoons said carefully. "But if we accompany you dressed in our uniforms, we'll attract attention like bees to honey. And I can't imagine the Green Dragoons are very popular there now, considering what we did the last time we were there."

"I hadn't thought of that," Charlotte said thoughtfully. "But you must accompany me. You both look about the size of my overseer. I'll send a slave to get some of his clothes that you can wear to ride into town with me."

"That's a good idea," the first dragoon said. "But I think it would be best if we trailed from a distance and watched from a hidden spot. Just where is the dressmaker shop in Pembroke?"

"It's near the church, across from the cemetery," she informed them. "There's a spot in the woods where you'd have a pretty good view of the front of the shop, but where you'd not be easily seen unless someone was looking for you."

"That sounds about right," he said. "We'll watch you for as long as we can on the way into Pembroke, then we'll cut behind the town to take up our positions in the place you mentioned."

"Fine," she agreed. "We'll leave as soon as you've both changed your clothes."

Within twenty minutes the small procession was on its way, with the two dragoons keeping mainly to the trails just inside the woods that paralleled the main road. Lucius also had an old fowling piece under his seat as he drove the carriage, just for a bit of extra protection.

As the group rattled down the rutted road, Charlotte leaned back, her head filled with thoughts of the new clothes to come.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Zeke!" Mattie Draper bellowed from outside the barn where he'd been all night after passing out from his brother-in-law's moonshine. "Where are you?"

Only half-awake, he did not reply. Gradually coming to consciousness, he realized he had a devil of a hangover. As he rolled over to sit up, his hand brushed into a pool of vomit in the straw. Quickly drawing his hand back, he wiped it off on his shirt as he sat there getting ready to face the day.

The barn door opened to reveal Mattie, standing in the doorway, with the sun behind her creating a glare so that she appeared mainly as an indistinct figure to him.

"We're all ready to go to town for Naomi's funeral," she said, her voice now gentle with sympathy. "You need to gather your wits about you now before we leave." Wrinkling her nose in distaste at the smell of vomit that emanated from him, she said, "You can't go like that. I'll get Tabby to get you one of Nathan's shirts to wear.

She returned a short time later with the shirt, after Rollins had splashed water on his face from a bucket just outside the barn door, trying to look somewhat presentable. He took the shirt she offered without a word and went back inside the barn to exchange it for the foul one he now wore.

By the time the family left the homestead to go to town, Rollins' head was aching as badly as Billings' rotten tooth had likely been doing before he'd had it pulled. As the group rode to Pembroke, the jouncing of his horse only served to intensify the dull throb in his head and he hoped the burial service would be brief, so he could return to the barn and the blessed oblivion of drink.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

**Historical note:** _A "bed gown" was not something one wore to bed; it wasn't what we would now call a 'nightgown". Rather, a woman's shift served double duty as the garment she wore to bed once she'd removed her stays and outer garments at night. A "bed gown" was a loose, long jacket that fell to low thigh length, then overlapped and held closed with an apron. They were worn chiefly as casual and work garments. Charlotte would have changed into something more fitted before leaving for Pembroke, however, as befitted a woman of her class._


	38. Atrocity

**Many thanks to Susan, Esther, and Janeen for their suggestions and input into this chapter.**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Just before Charlotte's carriage went around the final bend where the trees lining the road would end, just outside of Pembroke, one of the dragoons came out of the woods and signalled for Lucius to stop.

"You'll have to go the rest of the way in by yourselves," the first dragoon told Lucius. Pointing to a narrow trail that was barely visible from where they sat, he continued, "Mistress Tavington told me that this trail will lead to the vantage point where we'll be watching the tailor shop. We'll move quickly and should be there by the time you arrive at the shop."

"Yes, sir, I understand," the young slave acknowledged. Pointing below his seat, he said, "I have me a weapon here just in case I need it."

"Don't pull it out, unless it's absolutely necessary to use it," the dragoon warned. "And don't let anyone see it until you do."

"Yes, sir," Lucius replied again.

Riding back to where Charlotte sat looking out of the carriage window, he repeated what he'd told Lucius.

"Very well, then, soldier,' Charlotte said crisply. "I'll look for you once we arrive."

Lucius waited until the two dragoons had disappeared onto the trail into the woods skirting the small town before proceeding on. He glanced around carefully as he guided the carriage into the village, relieved to see few people about in the streets. The young man fervently hoped and prayed that Miss Charlotte could do her business quickly and get out of town in just the same way.

He let out the breath he'd been holding once he stopped the carriage in front of the tailor shop. A couple of women were standing outside doing their laundry at the other end of the street as he helped Charlotte Tavington down from the carriage, as well as several children playing in various locations nearby. Two old men playing checkers sat outside the new mercantile that had been built by a family who had recently moved into town.

Charlotte, too, looked around after alighting from the carriage. She glanced up into the woods and saw the two dragoons already in position, half-hidden where they stood behind trees. As she surveyed the small town going about its ordinary daily business, Charlotte relaxed.

Turning to Lucius, she said, "I should be in here for about two hours, and it would be terribly boring for you to have to sit out here waiting for me. Why don't you take the carriage and go visit Bessie, as I'd suggested before?"

Bessie was the maid to an old widow on the outskirts of town and the woman Lucius had been courting for the better part of six months.

"Maybe I'd best wait out here," he replied, uncertain.

"You've not been to see her in awhile," Charlotte pressed. "I know that when a woman is being courted, she needs plenty of attention. She might think that you're not interested any more and might take up with another man if you're not careful. You can't afford to take your relationship for granted."

"I hadn't thought of that," Lucius said, suddenly alarmed. "Are you sure it will be all right?"

"Perfectly all right," Charlotte said, smiling. "Go have a nice visit with Bessie, and come back in a little while."

"Thank you, Miss Charlotte!" Lucius said, quickly scrambling back into the driver seat. The young man waited until she'd entered the small tailor shop before slowly driving off to see Bessie. He looked up into the woods, satisfied that Miss Charlotte would be in good hands with the two dragoons watching the shop.

As Lucius headed toward Bessie's on the road on the opposite side of town from which they'd arrived, he passed two horsemen accompanying a farm wagon driven by a man with two women on either side of him and several children in the back. He didn't give the group much thought as he passed them, his mind intent on Bessie.

A short time later, the young man pulled the carriage up at a neat two-storey house near the road. After securing the horse, he walked around back, where he found Bessie hanging the wash on the line.

"Lucius!" she called out as she saw him come around the house. She quickly pinned the garment she held in her hands to the line, then abandoned her task to go greet the handsome young man. "What you are you doing here! I ain't seen you in weeks!"

"Ain't you glad to see me?" he asked in mock offense. "I brought Miss Charlotte to town to have some new clothes made and she said I could come visit you for a little while."

"Oooh, and you picked just the right time to visit, too!" Bessie said, grinning. "Mistress Hammond has gone to spend the day with her sister out in the country. She won't be back until late this evening!" Giving him a saucy grin, she said, "And you know what that means, don't you?"

"I sure do," he said, returning her grin with one of his own. "Race you to the barn!"

The couple reached the barn in record time, then scrambled up the ladder to the hayloft.

"I've been thinking about doing this since the last time we were together," she murmured, as they both sank down in the hay together and promptly forgot about the rest of the world.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Dragoon Sergeant Timothy Dobbins and Corporal Charles Peterson had reached the agreed-upon observation post shortly before Mistress Tavington's carriage arrived at the tailor shop. They'd tied their horses to trees well back and down a hill from where they stood, not wanting the horses' periodic snorting to attract attention from people passing by.

They'd watched the young slave help Mistress Tavington down from the carriage, but were surprised when he drove off in it no sooner had the woman entered the shop.

"Where's he going?" Peterson asked Dobbins. "I thought he was going to wait outside for her."

"I don't have a clue," Dobbins replied. "But I saw her gesturing in the direction he's going. Maybe she's sent him on some sort of errand."

"Who knows?" Peterson said, shrugging. "She should have mentioned it to us."

"Should have, but didn't," Dobbins shot back. "And I, for one, am not going to question what the Colonel's wife does."

"Better that way," Peterson agreed. "I don't want to get in trouble with the Colonel for displeasing his wife and I'm sure you don't, either."

"You and I should be enough to guard her," Dobbins decided. "And I don't think anything bad is going to happen, anyway. Town's as quiet as a graveyard."

"That's a fact," Peterson agreed. "I didn't see but a couple of men and they both had to be 75, at least."

The two dragoons fell silent for a few moments, soon yawning from the tiresome duty. They eventually chatted about inconsequential things to make the time pass more quickly. After about twenty minutes, Dobbins suddenly jerked his head up."

"The horses!" he exclaimed.

"I don't hear anything," Peterson said, confused.

"That's just it; we should be hearing their snorting," Dobbins explained.

Both men rushed back to where they'd tethered their mounts to find them gone, nowhere to be seen.

"Bloody hell!" Dobbins swore. "I know we secured them properly!"

"I wonder how they managed to get loose, then?" Peterson pondered, trying to figure it out.

As if to answer his question, the two dragoons heard the laughter of several children, far in the distance.

"Damned urchins!" Dobbins exclaimed. "I'll bet they took our horses!"

There was nothing for it, so the men took off into the woods, heading in the direction from which they last heard the children's laughter. The laughter became fainter, then disappeared as the men ran deeper into the forest.

After a long interval, both men stopped to catch their breath and to orient themselves.

Pointing to a tall oak tree, Peterson asked, "Didn't we just pass that tree a little while ago?"

"Damned if I know," Dobbins said, breathing heavily. "They all look alike to me."

"God's teeth, man, we're lost!" Peterson swore. "The Colonel will skin us alive for losing our horses."

Pointing off to the right, where there was a small clearing, Dobbins said, "I think we've got bigger problems than the Colonel at the moment."

Peterson looked in the direction indicated to see a large black bear by a tree.

"Now what?" he asked the Sergeant. "I don't know anything about bears. I'm city raised, from New York."

"I can't help you there," Dobbins said, shrugging. "I'm from Philadelphia, myself."

"I don't think it's seen us," Peterson ventured hopefully. "Maybe if we keep quiet, it won't notice us and will just go away."

"If we're lucky," Dobbins put in, not expecting to have any sort of good luck at this juncture in time.

Unfortunately, the bear seemed in no hurry to leave, as it relaxed in the clearing. Dobbins and Peterson grew increasingly nervous as time went by and they continued to wait for the large creature to move along.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Mrs Selton, I should have two sets of jumps ready for you in two days' time," the staysmaker promised Charlotte as she was getting ready to leave. "But my wife says the gowns will take a bit longer, perhaps a week to ten days, to get them all done."

"That's fine, Mr Rowe," she told him. "I'll send one of my servants in to pick up the jumps and then again later when the gowns are complete."

She'd not told the staysmaker that she was pregnant, as she didn't want to disclose her marriage to anyone in Pembroke, nor did she wish to sully her own reputation by letting the man think she was pregnant out of wedlock. She'd merely told him that she'd been having some random "stomach ailments" and that the doctor has recommended she wear jumps rather than stays along with looser gowns until she completely recovered.

As Charlotte stepped outside a few moments later, Mr Rowe locked the shop door behind her as it was now closing time. She was surprised to see that Lucius was not already back waiting for her, but not overly put out as she knew how it was to be young and in love. Sighing, she sat down on the bench outside the shop and settled in to wait. Because her mind was full of thoughts about her new clothes, it did not occur to her to look up into the woods for her dragoon escorts.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ezekiel Rollins shifted from foot to foot as the old preacher continued to drone on during Naomi's funeral service as the small group stood in the cemetery. Reverend Oliver was still off riding with Ben Martin, so the old retired preacher who sometimes pitched in to do church business when Reverend Oliver was away was conducting the service.

His hangover was now raging full force and he silently willed the old man to get on with it. He didn't much want to hear the preacher's fancy words about heaven and that Naomi was now in a better place. No amount of fancy words was going to change the fact that Naomi was dead, that she would stay dead, and that he'd never see her again.

As the preacher continued to blather on, Rollins' eyes began to wander and he noticed a finely-dressed blond woman step out of the tailor shop across the street. She was obviously a rich woman and he wondered what she was doing in Pembroke. The woman looked vaguely familiar and he felt as if he should know her, but couldn't quite place her. Whoever she was, she looked too high and mighty for the likes of Pembroke.

He continued to watch her sitting on the bench, completely tuning out the droning preacher, not taking his eyes from her until Mattie poked him in the ribs a few minutes later.

"Zeke!" Mattie exclaimed. "It's time to go!" After a pause, she demanded, "What are you looking at?"

"Over there," he said, indicating with his finger. "That rich woman sitting on the bench. I wonder who she is. She looks familiar, but I can't place her."

Mattie Draper looked to where her brother had pointed and almost did a double-take. Narrowing her eyes, she spat, "I can't believe it's her."

"Who?" he asked. "Do you know her?"

"I'd recognize her anywhere," Mattie muttered, her voice hot with resentment. "She's the Butcher's wife! She was with him that day they came to our farm when Tavington killed Elijah!"

"Is that so?" Rollins said, looking closer at Charlotte, now quite interested. "I think it's high time we taught her a lesson and sent a message to that bastard Tavington."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Mattie agreed, her mouth set in a hard expression.

Turning to Billings, Rollins demanded, "Well, Billings? Are you with me?"

"What do you want to do, Rollins?" Billings asked, uncertain. "Kidnap her?"

"Naw," Rollins said, now displaying a feral grin. "That would be too much trouble. No, I've got something better planned for that one."

Looking up and down the street, he saw that there was no one who would challenge them. He noted with satisfaction that the old preacher had already returned to the small cabin he inhabited on a lot behind the church.

"Let's go," he said to Billings. "You just follow my lead."

Billings did not reply, but merely trailed behind the smaller man.

Charlotte did not notice the two partisans until they'd almost reached her. Sensing eyes upon her, she turned and looked up to see a short, beady-eyed man glaring down at her with loathing, and a tall, homely man with bad teeth beside him. A slatternly looking woman who greatly resembled the short man, stood a few paces behind the men.

Before she could react, the shorter man spoke, "Well, well, well! Look who we have here! If I ain't wrong, you're the Butcher's wife!"

"How-?" Charlotte was about to ask him how he knew who she was. The two men looked as if they were part of Ben's militia, but she wondered what they were doing in Pembroke as William's intelligence had them riding hard to the north.

"If it ain't Mistress Tavington," Mattie Draper sneered, moving up from behind her brother. "You don't look so high and mighty, now that you don't have your man here to defend you."

"Please, I don't want any trouble," Charlotte said, clearly frightened.

She looked up toward the woods, wondering why the dragoons had not come down to confront the hostile townspeople. To her horror and dismay, however, they were nowhere to be seen. Glancing down toward where Lucius had taken the wagon, she was disheartened to see no sign of him, either.

"Well, you've got trouble, whether you want it or not," Rollins said coldly. "You don't belong here, you traitorous bitch. This here's a Patriot town and we don't want none of your kind in Pembroke." Noticing her looking around wildly for her missing escorts, he told her, "And there ain't no one here who's going to help you now."

Jumping up from the bench, she pleaded, "Dear God, please leave me alone. I mean you no harm."

"Well, ain't that right considerate of you," he mocked, spitting a wad of chewing tobacco on the front of her gown. "Your husband has caused my family considerable harm, so Mattie and me figure it's time that some of the harm was paid back to him." Grinning evilly, he elaborated, "And what better way to cause him harm than to put you in your place."

Mattie moved up quickly next to Charlotte and tore her hat off her head. "I like this hat, Zeke!" she said, showing it to her brother.

"Go ahead and put it on, then," he encouraged. "It'll look much better on you than her, anyway."

Leaning forward, he grabbed Charlotte's reticule right out of her hands, then said, "Let's see how much of an allowance the Butcher gives you." Looking greedily at the coins within, he declared, "Why, there's enough here to feed my sister and her youngins for a year. And here you are, wasting it all on fancy clothes!"

Tossing the bag to his sister, who caught it neatly, he said, "There you go, Mattie!"

Returning his attention to the now visibly quaking Charlotte, he pointed to Billings and informed her, "Billings, here, thought we ought to kidnap you for ransom. But I thought of something better."

Moving closer, he ran a dirty finger along the neckline of her bodice, allowing his index finger to stray inside. Ignoring Charlotte's instinctive shudder at him pawing her, he continued, "I figure the Butcher is proud of his possessions and doesn't like sharing them with others. I know it would rile him up if something were to happen to his most prized possession and you ended up going back to him…well-used. You might even say ruined."

"No!" Charlotte exclaimed, understanding his intentions. She turned back to the tailor's shop and tried to go back inside, but the door was securely locked.

At that moment, several large dogs ran in front of Rollins and Billings, bowling them over, creating a diversion. Charlotte saw her chance and began to run toward a house that was a short distance from the tailor shop. She banged desperately at the door, hoping the inhabitants would give her refuge.

Almost instantly, the door opened to reveal Anne Howard, who looked at her with a jaundiced eye.

"Please!" Charlotte begged. "Those men over there mean to do me harm! I need shelter!"

Anne recognized her immediately. "You're Gabriel's aunt," she hissed in indignation. "And he told me that you rejected his father's proposal to marry that horrible man, Tavington. Really, how could you? He nearly killed me!"

"Please help me!" Charlotte begged again, looking back to see that the two partisans had sorted themselves out and were heading her way.

"You reap what you sow," Anne told her coldly, then banged the door firmly in her face. She turned the key in the lock with an loud click that Charlotte heard clearly on the other side of the door.

Charlotte then picked up her petticoats and ran, hoping she'd find someone elsewhere who would take pity on her and give her shelter. As she ran toward another house in the distance, the Draper children, along with a few other town children, suddenly appeared and began throwing stones at her as she ran.

"Look at 'er run," Daniel Draper said, chortling. "Her man is the one who killed my Daddy, so let's get her good! She's the Butcher's wife!"

All the children had heard of the infamous Butcher and had been told stories about his dastardly deeds, so they immediately obeyed Daniel, throwing stones with gleeful relish.

Charlotte stumbled blindly onward, now covered in bruises from where the stones had hit her, desperate to get away. She looked back to see Rollins and Billings gaining on her, so she did not see a large rock on her path. Tripping over it, Charlotte fell, sprawling into the grass as the two men reached her.

Rollins reached her first, grabbing her arms and roughly hauling her to her feet.

"Now, that wasn't nice at all," he admonished her. "I was _talkin'_ to you and you ran off without sayin' goodbye. That's mighty rude of you, I think. I reckon you need to be taught a lesson." Turning to Billings, while keeping a firm grip on Charlotte's arm, he said, "Don't you agree, Billings?"

"That was awful rude," the big man agreed solemnly.

Doors began to open all along Pembroke's main street, as townspeople were alerted to what was happening by several children. They gawked avidly at the confrontation, but none of them moved to help Charlotte. No one had forgotten what the Butcher had done to the Howards and they figured that Charlotte was simply getting her proper comeuppance for being the Butcher's whore.

"I'm through with bein' nice," Rollins snarled. "It's time for you to pay the piper." Holding her tightly by the arm, he dragged her to a grassy patch between two buildings, with Billings and Mattie following at his heels.

A sawhorse stood close to one building and Rollins shoved her face first against it, bending her from the waist so that her bottom poked into the air.

"Billings, hold her down for a minute," Rollins ordered. "Mattie, lift her petticoats, so I can get into her right and proper."

As they both did what he had bidden them to do, he lazily told Charlotte, "Now, I'm going to do what I do to all bitches who spread their legs for the filthy Redcoats. And I think you deserve a double dose of it from both me and Billings, considering you're the whore of the worst Redcoat of them all. We'll send you back to that bastard Tavington so full of Patriot seed that he won't have nothin' to do with you no more."

Charlotte did not reply, but simply moaned in terror, as she'd been doing since he'd yanked her up from where she'd fallen.

"Oh, Zeke, let me get at her first before you roger her," Mattie said, a wicked smile on her face. "I've got me some personal revenge I want to take on her."

"All right, Mattie," he said, somewhat impatiently. "Don't take too long though - I'm hard as a barge pole here and I can't wait too long."

"It won't take long, I promise," Mattie said. With no further ado, she reached down into her pocket and brought out a large pair of scissors she'd used earlier that day with her sewing. "I'll need you or Billings to hold her head still.

Billings stepped forward and did as Mattie requested. Quick as a fox, she leaned in close and roughly hacked off Charlotte's beautiful blond hair, bringing the scissors to Charlotte's head about a dozen times. When she was done, Mattie stepped back to admire her handiwork. What was left of Charlotte's hair hung in uneven, ragged clumps.

Laughing harshly, she spat, "Let's see how the Butcher likes you now with all your pretty hair gone. For good measure, she opened her scissors again, taking one blade to the overskirt of Charlotte's gown, tearing holes in it, leaving it in ragged strips.

"All right, Zeke," she said, chortling in satisfaction. "She's all yours. And Billings'. And every other man in town who wants a piece of her."

As Rollins moved in and roughly stuck his dirty fingers up inside of her, Charlotte squirmed, unsuccessfully trying to avoid his repulsive pawing.

"Oh, you're a feisty one," Rollins crowed as she bucked back and forth trying to get away from him. "I'm going to enjoy taking you."

So intent was he and his companions on what he was about to do that they did not hear the rumble of approaching horsemen.

Just as Rollins was about to violate Charlotte, Ben Martin and the rest of the militia stopped in the road near them, attracted by the group of townspeople who were egging Rollins on.

"Rollins!" Martin called out loudly. "What in the hell are you doing? Let her go!"

Martin could see that Rollins was about to rape a woman, but could not determine her identity, considering that she was bent over a sawhorse and all he could see of her was her bare bottom.

Rollins immediately desisted, turning away from the crowd to stuff himself back into his breeches and button himself back up, irritated that his fun had been interrupted.

Martin quickly dismounted to go to the aid of the unfortunate woman. As he helped her to stand and rearrange what was left of her petticoats, he was absolutely horrified when he realized it was Charlotte.

She fell into his arms, shaking and gibbering in fright. "Oh, Ben! Thank God you showed up when you did! It was so horrible! I don't know what else he would have done to me had you not come!"

"Shh, shh," he soothed, rubbing her back as he held her. As angry as he was at her for marrying William Tavington, he would never have wished this upon her. He considered what Rollins had done to be completely reprehensible.

Gabriel stood by helplessly as his father comforted his aunt, speechless and completely stunned.

"Gabriel," Ben said quietly to his son. "Go find a wagon to borrow so we can get your Aunt Charlotte home. I'm afraid there's going to be hell to pay when Tavington finds out what happened."

"And for once, I won't be able to blame him," Gabriel replied heavily.

After Gabriel had hurried off to do his father's bidding, Ben turned to Rollins and Billings. "I'll deal with you two later," he said coldly. "Just get the hell out of my sight for now before I do something I might regret later."

The two men hurried off, with Billings feeling remorseful about his part in the matter, and Rollins only sorry that he did not get to complete the act.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_**Historical notes**: "God's teeth" was a common expression at the time, used in place of the stronger "God damn"._

_Staysmaking was a man's profession during the time, as it was thought that women did not have the necessary strength and dexterity to make stays, which necessitated hand working a needle through several layers of thick cloth in order to make the supportive garments._

_For Mattie's revenge on Charlotte, I was inspired by what some French people did to Frenchwomen who'd had sexual relationships with members of the German occupation force during World War II. As well as having their hair hacked off as Mattie did to Charlotte, many such unfortunate women were also shaved bald.  
_


	39. The Eye of the Storm

Gabriel Martin found a carriage not long after leaving to do his father's bidding. He'd discovered Charlotte's slave, Lucius, coming out of Widow Hammond's barn with the widow's maid at the same time he noticed his aunt's carriage parked out front.

At the sight of Charlotte Tavington's nephew, Lucius suddenly realized how long he'd been away. He quickly gave Bessie a quick kiss, then said, "I'm late! I was supposed to have picked up Miss Charlotte at least forty-five minutes ago!"

After rushing over to untie the horses, he jumped up into the wagon to go back to the tailor shop, hoping Miss Charlotte wouldn't be too angry with him. Before he could pull away, however, Gabriel climbed into the wagon seat beside him.

"Mister Gabriel?" Lucius said cautiously, wondering what he wanted. The Martins had been occasional visitors to Miss Charlotte's home before she'd married Colonel Tavington, but not since that time, so Lucius was hesitant.

"Aunt Charlotte has been attacked in town," Gabriel explained briefly. "We need to get her home."

"Oh, God," the young man moaned. "What happened? Will she be all right?"

"She was nearly ravished," Gabriel told him harshly. "I don't know how it happened, but she's going to be all right. Father and I got there just in time to save her from that humiliation. We need to get her out of here as quickly as possible."

"Oh, my God," Lucius repeated, sick at heart. Feeling miserable, he wished he'd heeded his own instincts and waited outside the tailor shop for her.

The carriage came to a clattering stop a few moments later as Lucius pulled up to where Ben Martin still stood comforting Charlotte. The townspeople had dispersed and he'd sent the rest of his men to their base camp to lay low, so the two stood there alone in the street. Ben had removed his jacket, which was now draped around her shoulders. He'd retrieved her white cap from the ground where it had fallen when Mattie had snatched her hat off her head and it now covered what was left of her hair.

Benjamin Martin didn't say a word to Lucius, but helped Charlotte into the carriage, then got in beside her.

Leaning out the window to Gabriel, who'd alighted from the carriage, he said, "Ride alongside and lead my horse with you. We'll stay just long enough to get her settled, as I don't fancy meeting Tavington, today especially."

"I don't want to be anywhere near when he finds out," Gabriel readily agreed, shivering at the thought.

Charlotte gradually calmed down as the carriage rattled out of town and Pembroke slowly faded into the distance behind them.

"Do you want to talk about it,?" Ben asked quietly a few minutes later when he noticed her relax against the seat cushion.

Charlotte nodded weakly and said, "Give me a moment to collect myself."

As she steeled herself to recount the horror of it all, Ben told her, "I will admit that I was angry beyond belief when I found out that you had refused my offer of marriage to marry a man such as Tavington." He almost succeeded in keeping the venom out of his voice when he said Tavington's name.

Charlotte opened her mouth to speak, but Martin held up a hand.

"Let me finish," he said gently. "As I was saying, though I am unhappy about the man you chose to marry, I could never condone what was done to you today. I am ashamed to say that the man who assaulted you was one of my men, but I can assure you that he will be dealt with most severely."

"I know you had nothing to do with it," Charlotte said weakly. "In fact I was surprised to see you at all, as I'd thought you were off fighting somewhere."

Ben smiled indulgently at her, as he realized that British intelligence was monitoring his whereabouts.

"We were to participate in a battle that was concluded before we were even halfway there," he said simply, not elaborating. They'd been stopped by a courier who told them of the Patriot victory at King's Mountain and of Patrick Ferguson's death. "When we got the news, we simply turned around to come back home again to pick up the two men who'd returned to Pembroke for personal business."

"Which were the two who accosted me, I take it," Charlotte reasoned.

"Yes," Ben confirmed. Changing the subject, he asked, "What were you doing in town by yourself, anyway. I'd have thought Tavington would have had more sense than to allow that."

"William doesn't know," Charlotte told him frankly. "I got the idea to come to town this morning." After a long pause, she confided, "You see, I'm with child and I needed to have some jumps and clothing made to see me through until the baby is born. I'd thought I had such things I could use at the plantation house from my first baby, but I found them to be ruined."

Benjamin Martin nearly choked at hearing this, looking as if he was about to swallow his tongue, but he eventually schooled his facial expression.

"Are you all right?" Martin finally asked. "Rollins didn't hurt the baby, did he?"

"The baby is fine," she said. "He didn't get the chance to hurt the baby and I don't think he was aware that I'm with child."

"Still, you need to be seen by a doctor to make sure," Leaning out the window, he called for Gabriel to come over. After his son obeyed, he said, "Gabriel, go ride off and find Doc Sibley and tell him to come to your Aunt Charlotte's house. He's the closest doctor to the plantation."

After Gabriel had ridden off to find the doctor, Ben returned to what he'd been saying. "You should have had more sense than to come to Pembroke alone. You know it's a Patriot town. You should have realized that by marrying the Butcher, you had it coming if you stepped foot in Pembroke."

"I wasn't aware that my marriage was common knowledge in Pembroke," Charlotte shot back frostily. "Apparently, you've let it be known." Giving him a cold glare, she added, "And how dare you say I deserved it simply for choosing to marry the man I love."

"No, I never mentioned it to anyone," Martin insisted. "Gabriel must have told Anne Howard about it. They're engaged, you know. And I didn't say you deserved to be assaulted, but, rather, that this could likely happen if you visited a Patriot town unprotected." After a pause, he added, "But I wouldn't have expected Rollins to recognize you at all, let alone know who you were married to."

Charlotte thought for a minute, then exclaimed, "Oh, yes, of course!"

"What?" Martin asked, confused.

"I didn't recognize the woman who did this to my hair at the time," Charlotte said, making a helpless gesture toward her head. "But I remember her now. When I travelled up from Charlestown with William, we stopped at a small farm for lunch. One of his men discovered a cache of weapons in the barn, so William hanged the farmer for treason. The woman I saw today was that man's wife."

"She's Rollins' sister, Mattie," Ben said. "She must have told him who you were."

"No doubt," Charlotte agreed. "Why was this Rollins person in Pembroke for in the first place? Should he not have been riding with your group?"

"I'd sent him home as his wife was about to have a baby," Ben explained.

"That man has a wife?" Charlotte sneered, shuddering. "It's hard to believe that any woman would marry him. And what was he doing in Pembroke assaulting me when he should have been by her bedside?"

"That's what I intend to find out," Ben said heavily. He did not add that he couldn't see how any woman would marry Tavington, either, but knew it was best to keep his thoughts about that to himself.

The two fell silent for several minutes, then Ben spoke again.

"Are you happy, Charlotte?" he asked suddenly. "I'll admit I can't understand why you refused me to marry Tavington."

Charlotte repressed the urge to roll her eyes at Ben's arrogance, then said firmly, "Yes, I'm very happy. William treats me like a queen and we're very much in love." After a pause, she added, "And although you've been a good brother-in-law to me, I've never thought of you as anything more than a dear friend."

"I see," Ben said slowly, clearly disappointed.

No more words were spoken as they'd now reached the tree-lined lane that led to Charlotte's plantation.

As Ben got down from the carriage, then turned to assist Charlotte to alight, Magnolia and Ruth came outside, alerted by one of the maids about their arrival.

"Mr Ben, what are you doing here?" she demanded, knowing the bad blood between him and William Tavington.

Her eyes then fell on Charlotte, whose gown was in tatters and her chopped hair showing through her now-dirty white cap.

"Oh, dear God, what happened?" Magnolia said, lifting her petticoats as she hurried down the steps.

"She was assaulted and robbed in town," Ben told her briefly, not wanting to go into detail in front of Charlotte. "The doctor's on his way but I need you to get her cleaned up and into bed before the doctor gets here."

"Right away, Mr Ben!" she said wringing her hands in agitation.

After Ben accompanied Charlotte up the stairs and inside the front door, the two women took over, going upstairs with Charlotte to see to her needs until the doctor arrived.

Once the women had disappeared up the stairway, Ben stepped back out onto the porch to wait for Gabriel and the doctor to arrive, keeping alert just in case Tavington and his dragoons should suddenly appear.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

After about a half hour of being trapped by the bear, Sergeant Dobbins and Corporal Peterson were able to move on at last after the bear finally decided to amble away from them further into the forest

"I thought that damn bear would never leave," Peterson grumbled as they walked in the opposite direction from the large creature.

"Don't complain," Dobbins told him reasonably. "At least it didn't decide to make us its dinner."

"Now we have to figure out how to get out of here," Peterson said. "Do you have any idea which way we should be going?"

"Not a clue," Dobbins admitted. "I know one thing, though. The Colonel's wife is going to livid when she sees us again. I hope she had the sense not to wait for us once she was done in the shop and simply started home."

"And that's if the slave returned on time as well," Peterson pointed out. "In either instance, the Colonel is going to have our heads."

"I'm afraid you're right, old man," Dobbins agreed, sighing heavily.

After about forty-five minutes, they noticed the trees thinning out a bit. In another five minutes, they came to the road. Hearing a clattering sound in the distance heading away from them, they looked down the road to see Charlotte Tavington's carriage rapidly disappearing in the distance.

"Well, at least we found the road," Peterson observed.

"Yes, and we now know that Mistress Tavington did the sensible thing and headed home," Dobbins put in. "We'll just follow the road and hope that someone in a wagon comes along to give us a ride back or maybe we'll find some horses to steal along the way. Until that time, we walk."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Ben Martin had been standing on the porch chatting with Rufus for forty minutes before Gabriel reappeared with Doc Sibley. His own horse still trailed beside Gabriel and as the two men stopped and dismounted, Ben took charge of the horse, tying him to a tree nearby.

As the doctor hurried up the stairs, Ruth was waiting for him at the top, ready to show him upstairs.

After the door had closed behind them, Ben turned to Gabriel and asked, "Did you tell Doc Sibley who she's married to?"

"Yes, I did," Gabriel said seriously. "I wanted him to make his own free choice about whether he wanted to come here, so he'd not have any unpleasant surprises." After a pause, he added, "But it didn't matter to him. He said he's always treated the sick, no matter who they were, and wasn't about to stop doing that now."

"That's good for your Aunt Charlotte's sake," Ben remarked. "At his age, he's able to take the neutral stance that Charlotte's husband forced me out of."

"Speaking of Tavington, we probably need to get moving," Gabriel said. "He could show up here at any time and we certainly don't need to be around when he finds out what happened today."

"You're right," his father agreed. "We're going to have to lay low for awhile until things settle down a bit." As almost an afterthought, he added, "Charlotte should be all right here with her staff until Tavington returns."

"Are you going to go up and say goodbye?" Gabriel asked.

"We said our goodbyes in the carriage," Ben said laconically, if not entirely truthfully. Both he and Charlotte knew without saying that as long as the war lasted that there would be little reason or opportunity for them to interact. Ben wasn't sure if their familial relationship could be repaired even after the war, as long as she remained married to the Butcher.

A short time later, after watering the horses, the two men were on their way, moving rapidly on hidden trails in the woods toward their secluded swamp base.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

William Tavington was greatly satisfied as the dragoon column made its way back to the plantation in the early evening hours. They'd managed to find and fire four homesteads belonging to men known to ride with Martin's partisans.

And the last homestead had proven to be the most satisfying of all. The woman there had turned out to be most cooperative when asked questions about her husband's activities. It seemed as if the wench was irritated about her man leaving her alone on their backwoods farm for months at a time while he was off doing "God knows what", to use the woman's own words. She'd lost two babies since her marriage and was nearly at the end of her rope being stuck so far from settled areas.

Tavington had to give part of the credit for the woman's volubility to Sergeant Marcus Tapp, whom he'd spied rogering the young farm wife out behind the barn while the other men ransacked the house prior to firing it and others searched the outbuildings and nearby woods. The woman seemed eager enough to accept Tapp's attentions, so Tavington had left them to their pleasure, after which she'd been most cooperative in answering questions.

The dragoon leader looked back over his shoulder to see the young woman riding double with Tapp, having offered her services to him to take care of all his needs, both sensual and mundane.

They'd occasionally picked up new camp followers in this fashion during Tavington's years in the colonies, so it was not an unusual occurrence when he'd observed Tapp slinging her small bundle of belongings onto his horse, then helping up onto the animal.

Tavington was somewhat surprised that Tapp had decided to accept the woman's offer, however. Marcus Tapp was nearly legendary among the men concerning his apparent ease in getting women of all ages and political persuasions into bed with him. However, he was as equally well-known for not forming any lasting attachments, not letting any woman get too close to him. As they continued to ride, he wondered why Tapp had decided to take this woman along.

Tapp had joined the Green Dragoons in New Jersey in 1779, He'd been the Sheriff of a New Jersey town just over the river from Philadelphia and had proven to be an excellent horseman and swordsman, so Tavington took him on readily enough.

Slightly older and taller than Tavington, the American sheriff bore an uncanny resemblance to his commander, but with his eyes an almost unnaturally pale shade of blue. An ambitious man, Tapp had been a good trooper and Tavington had made good use of his law enforcement experience, mostly in keeping order and discipline among the dragoons. He was Tavington's eyes and ears among the enlisted ranks, keeping him apprised of things he needed to know.

As the dragoon column got closer to the plantation, Tavington's thoughts turned increasingly to Charlotte. He looked forward to lying in her arms tonight, and hoped that she'd not been too bored waiting at home for him.

All was seemingly quiet and peaceful as the group thundered up the familiar tree-lined lane about an hour later. But Tavington had a sudden gut feeling that something wasn't quite right, especially when no one came out onto the porch at their approach to greet them. He didn't see any sign of the two dragoons he'd left to guard the place, which further increased his unease.

No sooner had he dismounted than Magnolia suddenly appeared on the porch, wringing her hands in distressed agitation. Rufus appeared a moment later, looking equally upset.

Not waiting for a groom to take charge of his horse, he tied it to the same tree that Ben Martin had earlier used.

"Come quick, Colonel!" Magnolia cried urgently. "Miss Charlotte needs you right away!"

Tavington hurried up the steps to where the slaves waited for him. "What's wrong?" he demanded. "Is it the baby?"

"No sir," she assured him, after they'd stepped inside the house. "Least ways I don't think so." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Miss Charlotte went into Pembroke today and was attacked by two men and a woman there."

"What?" Tavington didn't quite believe what he was hearing. "What was she doing in Pembroke? She should have had better sense than to go there unprotected. Where are the two men I left here?"

"She went to town to the tailor shop to see about having new clothes and new stays made," Magnolia reported "The two dragoon men went with her when she left in the carriage, but they didn't come back with her. Nobody knows what happened to them, 'cause they were gone when Miss Charlotte came out of the tailor shop."

Tavington sighed, figuring the two men must have been ambushed and killed. Fearing the worst, he asked in a low voice, "Was she ravished?"

"No, sir, thank God," Magnolia reported. "But them nasty man would have if Mister Ben Martin had not come along and rescued her. He done brought her home and Mister Gabriel fetched the doctor here for her."

"Are they still here?" he demanded, wondering what they were doing in Pembroke when intelligence reports had them riding hard to the north.

"No, sir,' she said. "They lit out of here like the Devil himself was chasing them soon as Doc Sibley got here. I don't think they wanted to see you at all, considerin' it was two of Mister Ben's men that attacked Miss Charlotte."

It took all of Tavington's self control to hold in his rage at this point. His instincts screamed at him to get revenge for the atrocity that had been visited upon his wife, but he would wait until he had the entire story before acting. Years of experience as a soldier had taught him that revenge was a dish best served cold. He would find out from Charlotte exactly what had happened, then he would make sure that those responsible would pay with their lives.

"Where is she now?" Tavington asked in an unnaturally calm voice, his azure eyes having turned to frigid ice. "Is the doctor still with her."

"Yes, sir," she said. "He's been waitin' for you to get home to talk to you." She shivered involuntarily, seeing the expression on Tavington's face. The middle aged slave was suddenly glad not to be the target of his ire.

In a somewhat less icy tone of voice, Tavington said, "Thank you, Magnolia. That will be all for now."

William Tavington mounted the stairs with grim determination. As he reached the top, the door to the bedroom he shared with Charlotte opened and Ruth stepped out into the hall, followed by a small man in middle late middle age.

"Oh, Colonel Tavington!" Ruth exclaimed, trying to keep her voice low "We've been waiting for you! Did Magnolia tell you what happened?"

"Yes, she did," he replied briefly.

The older man turned to him, extending his hand to shake. "I'm Dr James Sibley. You must be Colonel Tavington."

Shaking the man's hand perfunctorily, Tavington got straight to the point "How is she? Is the baby going to be all right?"

"She'll be fine," Dr Sibley assured him. "And the baby is fine" With a concerned frown, he continued, "But as you will see, she's been subject to some rather rude and rough treatment, so she'll need some indulgent cosseting in order to restore her nervous constitution. I've given her a small dose of laudanum and I've left a large bottle for her to use as needed. Rest and relaxation will be the best thing for her."

"Is she still awake?" Tavington demanded.

"She should be," the doctor said. "But go in there now if you want to talk to her for a bit before she falls asleep."

"I'd like it if you would stay here overnight and check her again in the morning before returning home," Tavington told the doctor. "I will, naturally, pay you more to do so."

"No extra pay is necessary," the doctor replied. "I've been treating your wife since she was a child and I want to make sure she's well before I return home."

A moment later, Tavington entered the bedroom to find Charlotte sitting up in bed, staring into space as she mindlessly twisted a handkerchief in her lap. He had to struggle to keep a calm expression on his face when he noticed the bruises on her arms and the results of Mattie's butchery on her hair.

"William…" Charlotte's lip trembled at the sight of her husband standing in the doorway. She'd kept a stiff upper lip all through this ordeal, but the façade began to crumble as she felt safe to express her feelings, now that William was here to be the strong one.

"Oh, my sweet love," Tavington murmured as he rushed to her side, sitting on the side of the bed as he took her into his arms.

"Oh, William it was so horrible!" she exclaimed as she began to sob in his arms. "I've never been so terrified in all my life. I was afraid they were going to kill me once they'd violated me!"

"Shh, shh, it's all right now," he soothed, rubbing her back in small circles. "I'm here now."

For several minutes no more words were spoken as he continued to hold her close, softly murmuring as he rocked slowly back and forth with her as she continued to cry.

Gaining strength and assurance from her husband's strong embrace, Charlotte's sobs began to subside within a short time.

Pulling back from him slightly, she said, "I'm all right now, I think. I draw such strength from your mere presence." Laughing softly, she added, "I haven't dared to look in a mirror. I'm sure that I look frightful. It will take years for my hair to grow back properly."

"My love, you are always beautiful to me," William assured her seriously "I didn't marry a hank of hair; I married _you_."

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" she asked.

"Many times," he murmured. "But I never tire of hearing it."

After a few moments, he said, "If you're up to it, I need to hear exactly what happened, so I can find those responsible and make them pay. Why on Earth were you In Pembroke to begin with?"

Taking a deep breath, Charlotte began, "Ruth and I had gone to the attic to find the jumps I'd worn from my first pregnancy, but I found them moth eaten, stained, and utterly ruined. And the gowns I'd worn there were hopelessly out of fashion, so I decided to have more made. There's an excellent tailor shop in Pembroke, so I decided to go there."

"Why did you not wait for me to take you?" he asked. "I would have been most happy to do so."

"Oh, it's such a trivial matter and you have so many important matters to deal with," she told him.

"There is _nothing_ more important to me than you," he replied. "Didn't you know that?"

"Still, though, I didn't want to take you from your duties," she insisted. "And considering that your intelligence reports told you that partisan activity had shifted to the north, I thought it was a safe time to go. I did have your two dragoons along, as well as Lucius with his fowling piece."

"It would seem as if the two dragoons must have been killed when you were inside the shop," Tavington told her. "But where was Lucius when all of this was happening?"

"It's my fault," Charlotte confessed. "He'd wanted to wait for me outside the shop, but I insisted that he go along to visit Bessie, the girl he's been courting, who lives on the outside of town. Please don't punish him, as it was all my doing."

"All right, I won't," Tavington said, heaving a gusty sigh.

"When we rode into town, the dragoons hid in the woods where they had a clear view of the tailor shop. It was quiet when we arrived, and it seemed as if I'd have no trouble, so I sent Lucius on."

"Go on," he encouraged.

"I finished my business more quickly than I'd originally estimated, so when I came out, Lucius had not returned with the carriage. I sat down on a bench to wait and it wasn't long after that when those two partisans appeared out of nowhere, along with that horrible woman Mattie Draper. You remember her, she was the wife of that farmer you executed for treason on our ride up from Charlestown. It seems she is the sister of one of the men, Rollins. And she had to have been the one who alerted the two men as to who I was."

"Ah, yes, I remember," Tavington said, a grim expression on his face. "Continue."

Yawning now, as the laudanum gradually began to take effect on her, she said, "That man, Rollins, began to paw me, but I managed to escape momentarily when some big dogs ran up and knocked him and the other partisan, Billings, down. I ran to a nearby house, but the woman there, Anne Howard, who is my nephew's intended, slammed the door in my face, telling me I was getting what a deserved for marrying you."

"I see," Tavington commented, wishing he'd simply strangled that harridan to death when he'd last been in Pembroke. This time, however, he would make sure she got what she so richly deserved, along with the Draper bitch.

"By this time, they'd nearly caught back up with me, so I ran again. Some of the children in town ran after me, throwing stones and jeering at me. Then I tripped and fell over a rock, and that was when they got me again," she told him. "That repulsive little man, Rollins began to paw at me again, then he dragged me between two buildings to violate me. Before he could do so, his vile sister had them hold me still and she cut off almost all my hair and ruined my gown with her scissors."

Almost losing her composure again, she forced herself to finish the story. "After she was done butchering my hair, I felt him put his fingers up inside me. I tried to get away, but they held me down over a sawhorse. By that time, I could hear quite a few of the townspeople nearby encouraging him to violate me."

She gulped loudly as she repressed the urge to cry again. "But before he could complete the act, Ben Martin rode up and made him stop. He dispersed the crowd, then he and Gabriel made sure I got home safely and also summoned the doctor for me. They left rather quickly once the doctor arrived, as I expect they didn't want to meet you."

He could feel the rage building within him again, as he held her close again after she'd finished telling her story. After a few moments, once he'd felt her relax and the laudanum take a stronger hold on her, he released her and gently pulled the covers up as she leaned back on the bed, ready for sleep.

"Get some rest, love," he murmured. "I need to go talk with my men for awhile. I'll send Ruth in to sit with you while I'm gone."

A few moments later, as he descended the stairs, a plan took hold in his mind to avenge the brutality visited upon his wife. With cold resolve, he stepped outside onto the porch, looking to gather his men together to tell them of his plan.

As he started down the steps, he met Sergeant Marcus Tapp coming up to find him. By this time, the news of what happened to Charlotte Tavington had spread among all the dragoons.

"Colonel!" he called out without waiting for Tavington to acknowledge him. "Captain Bordon sent me to report that Dobbins and Peterson have come back. They just came straggling out of the woods without their horses no more than five minutes ago!"

"Oh?" Tavington responded, his ire building. "Take me to them. I really need to hear why they failed to protect my wife this afternoon."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

**Author's Note**: _I borrowed the character of Marcus Tapp from Margaret Lawrence's excellent series of mystery novels taking place in Maine in 1786. Tapp was such a wonderfully delicious and conflicted bad boy that I felt would have made an excellent dragoon before moving to Maine and his role as Sheriff in Lawrence's books after the war._


	40. You Reap What You Sow

_**Many thanks are in order to Esther, Susan, and Janeen for their thoughts and suggestions for this chapter.**_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

William Tavington rapidly followed Marcus Tapp's long strides to the enlisted men's tent encampment, which stood in a meadow at the northern edge of the plantation property near the woods. With an amused grin on his face, Tapp led him to the campfire, where Dobbins and Peterson sat dejectedly on a log by the fire.

Bordon and Wilkins stood nearby talking quietly, while other dragoons of various ranks milled around, waiting to see what would happen to the two hapless dragoons. The dragoons' conversations immediately faded away into dead silence as Tavington stepped into the campfire's circle, with Tapp standing behind him as a grim sentinel.

Both men gulped, barely keeping control of their bowels and bladders, when Tavington came to stand in front of them. He stared down at them with an unreadable expression, his cold blue eyes boring into them mercilessly.

For several long minutes, Tavington did not utter a sound, regarding them dispassionately as one might consider a bug one was about to squash.

Finally, he spoke, his voice deceptively quiet and soft. "Well? Do you have anything whatsoever to say for yourselves that would explain why you abandoned your post and failed to protect my wife this afternoon?"

Dobbins gulped again, then hesitantly began, "Well, sir, we'd manned our post as originally planned and watched Mistress Tavington enter the tailor shop."

After a slight pause, he continued, "Then I realized our horses were gone when I didn't hear them snorting any more."

"Then me and Dobbins went to look for them," Peterson supplied. "We thought it would take only a couple of minutes to find them, as we think it was just a couple of kids who let them loose."

"You deserted your post for a couple of fucking _nags_?" Tavington exploded. "Did it ever occur to you that you don't abandon a post for _any_ reason and that horses can be replaced?" Not expecting an answer, he added, "But do go on with your story. I want to know everything before I decide your punishments."

"Well, sir, we ran into the woods to look for the horses," Dobbins continued nervously. "But we couldn't find them and as we were about to give up and head back, we noticed a large bear nearby. It hadn't noticed us and we didn't want it to notice us, so we decided to stand still and quiet until it went away."

"But the bear didn't move and we were trapped there for nearly an hour," Peterson put in. "But when it did finally leave the area, we moved on and ended up coming out of the woods by the road, where we saw Mistress Tavington's carriage hurrying back down the road in the distance, so we just followed on foot."

"We didn't have any idea what had happened until we got back here," Dobbins concluded miserably. "We're so sorry for what happened."

"Sorry?" Tavington spat. "Did you hear that, men? He said they're _sorry. _As if that would help the situation in any way!" Whirling around to face the two men, he said coldly, "You're going to be even sorrier shortly, I'd wager."

Gesturing over his shoulder at Tapp, who was greatly enjoying the proceedings, Tavington ordered, "Sergeant Tapp. These men are to be executed by hanging and I'm putting you in charge of the detail. Sentence is to be carried out immediately."

"Yes, sir!" Marcus Tapp said eagerly, just barely able to keep a gleeful tone out of his voice. He and Dobbins had been having a bitter rivalry for months and in one fell swoop, Tapp had lost his only serious bit of competition in his quest for the rank of Sergeant Major, which would make him the senior enlisted man in Tavington's Legion.

Before Tapp could take charge of the condemned men, Bordon hurried over to Tavington, obviously agitated.

"Sir!" he said urgently in a low voice. "Wouldn't it be more honourable to execute them by firing squad? Hanging is what we do to rebels and traitors."

Tavington's head snapped toward his second in command in sudden anger. "Where were they when those two bastards tried to take my _wife's _honour?" he demanded, his eyes blazing with fury. "They deserted her, so they deserve no honour in death."

Marcus Tapp, who'd heard the officers' conversation, rolled his eyes at Bordon's naïveté, then spat contemptuously into the grass. "They're doing good to get hanging," he remarked sourly. "If it had been up to me, I'd have taken them back to the bear to be its dinner."

Bordon gave the tall sergeant a sharp glance, but remained silent. Tavington, however, agreed with him.

"Quite right, Sergeant Tapp," he said with a sardonic expression. "But as we don't have the time to search for the bear, we'll have to make do with hanging." Turning away from the enlisted man, he said, "Carry on!"

Tapp turned and gestured with a jerk of his thumb to two men well known to be his toadies, Corporals Sanders and Freeman, who followed him without a word. He'd also been in charge of hanging Elijah Draper some time back and these two men had ably assisted him then. Looking at two other men, he motioned to them to follow as well to take charge of the prisoners until he was ready to hang them.

Indicating two stout trees a short distance away, he told Sanders and Freeman, "We'll use those two trees. There's some suitable rope in the barn and you'll put them up on horses when we're ready to begin."

After the two corporals hurried off to do the sergeant's bidding, Tapp strolled lazily over to where the two condemned men waited under guard.

Regarding Dobbins with a feral grin, he drawled, "I have to thank you for so conveniently clearing the way to me making Sergeant Major." Pausing briefly for effect, he continued, "Now, Tavington would have chosen me over you in the end, anyway, but your stupidity will just help me get that promotion that much sooner."

Dobbins didn't reply, sick of the sound of his rival's gloating voice.

"You do know that none of this would have happened had the Colonel put me in charge of his wife's safety," Tapp continued, wanting to goad Dobbins into reacting. "Not a hair would have been harmed on her pretty head if it had been me."

"Maybe not from the rebel scum," Dobbins sneered. snorting in derision. "But knowing you, you'd have tried to get under her petticoats, in which instance, you'd be the one standing here waiting to be hanged. The big difference would have been that Tavington would have cut off the part of your body that you think with, first."

Reacting instantly, Tapp punched him in the mouth, breaking several teeth. Dobbins, who was bound with his hands behind his back, immediately went down. As the private guarding him quickly hauled him back on his feet, Tapp smiled at him. "Do you want to repeat what you just said, you miserable sack of shit?"

Before Dobbins could reply, Tavington made an impatient gesture with his hand, signalling Tapp to get on with it, as Sanders and Freeman had now set up the nooses.

A few minutes later, it was all over for the two dragoons. As Dobbins and Peterson swung lifelessly in the gentle breeze, the crowd dispersed and went back about their business. Tapp wandered off to seek his pleasure with the wench he'd picked up from the rebel farm, while Tavington and his senior officers returned to the house to plan the revenge for Charlotte's assault.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ben and Gabriel Martin wearily shambled into camp long after the sun had gone down, dismounting gingerly from their horses.

Most of the men had bedded down for the night, but a few stalwart diehards still sat by the campfire waiting for the two Martins to return.

"Ah, there you are," Reverend Oliver said as Ben joined him by the fire. "I was beginning to worry." Gesturing to the coffee pot over the fire, he asked, "Do you want some coffee?"

"It must be like mud by now," Martin said.

"No, I made it just a little while ago," Oliver assured him. "It should still be good."

Ben wordlessly accepted a cup from the older man and the two sat in companionable silence for several minutes. Gabriel did not join them, but immediately set about laying out his bedroll.

"So," Ben said a few minutes later. "When did Billings and Rollins get back to camp? I'm going to have to have a serious conversation with them in the morning."

"Billings returned not long after we arrived," Oliver told him. "Rollins never showed up. Billings told us that Rollins said he'd be back when he felt like it and not before."

Martin wiped his brow is exasperated frustration. "Well, I'm going to go to bed," he said, yawning. I'll see you in the morning."

"If you need to talk, you know I'm always available," the reverend said.

"Yes, thank you," Ben said. "I'll remember that."

As Ben placed his bedroll by Gabriel a couple of moments later, Gabriel said, "I'm going to get up early and go into town to go to church with Anne. They're reading the banns for us tomorrow and I'd promised her I'd be there for that."

"You might want to reconsider, son," Ben counseled. "Tavington is going to be out for blood and he's likely to come looking for us. It would be best if we remained out of sight for a while until it all dies down."

"I don't think he'll come looking for us in Pembroke," Gabriel reasoned. "He knows we won't be there. And he won't be looking for Anne, in any instance."

"That's true," Ben allowed. "And someone needs to go check on Rollins, in any instance."

"I'll leave before dawn then," Gabriel decided.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

After leaving Pembroke, Ezekiel Rollins returned to his sister's barn and his drinking. He was put out with Ben Martin for interrupting his fun, wondering if Martin had lost his nerve to fight. He knew that Tavington wouldn't have spared Naomi from rape if he'd happened to run into her before she'd died, so why in the hell should Tavington's snooty wife get any special consideration?

Billings had left to return to camp shortly after they'd returned to his sister's home. Coming into the barn, where Rollins was sprawled out in the hay, already halfway back to being drunk once again, the big man said, "Rollins! Are you ready to go? Martin said we should return back to camp to keep out of Tavington's way."

"Naw," Rollins slurred. "You go on ahead. I'm tired and I don't feel so good. I'm going to spend the night here." Putting the bottle down beside him, he continued, "I don't think Tavington will be looking for us in Pembroke, anyway. He'll probably be all over the countryside trying to find our camp."

"Are you going to come along later?" Billings asked. "I still think we'd be better off at the camp."

"I'll think about it,' Rollins said evasively. "Now, you'd better get on before you run into one of Tavington's patrols."

"All right, I'm goin'!" Billings said irritably.

After Billings had ridden away into the forest, Rollins drank himself into a mindless stupor. The rest of the family avoided the barn, wisely deciding to leave him alone for the night.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

After a mostly sleepless night, William Tavington rose before dawn. He'd spent part of the evening planning strategy with Bordon and Wilkins, then had held a still-nervous Charlotte in his arms for several hours until she'd finally fallen asleep out of sheer exhaustion.

As he hurriedly dressed, he felt a burning current of energy surging through him as he thought of what he'd planned to do today to avenge Charlotte. Looking over at her one last time as he finished tying his cravat, he kissed her softly on the cheek so as not to awaken her.

Tavington had persuaded the doctor to stay one more day to keep her under observation. The doctor had promised to keep her calm, doling out laudanum as necessary in carefully measured doses to keep her from panicking while he and the men were gone. Ruth would assist, keeping Charlotte company to keep her mind distracted. He didn't want to leave her again so soon, but it couldn't be helped if he was to retaliate in a timely fashion and send a message to Benjamin Martin and his militia.

He'd also assigned Lt. Ogilvie and two cornets to be in charge of guarding her and the farm while he and the rest of the dragoons carried out their grim task. Tavington felt confident that Charlotte would be in good hands with these men while they were gone.

After one last loving look, he stepped out into the hall, carefully closing the door behind him with a barely audible click.

He met Bordon and Wilkins at the bottom of the stairs and the three men ate a quick, silent breakfast before hurrying outside, where the men were quietly preparing to mount up in the pre-dawn darkness. They'd be able to move quickly this morning, as he'd given the order not to break camp, because they'd be spending another night here before returning to the fort.

Tavington strode quickly back to the stables, too impatient to wait for the groom to bring his horse around as was his usual custom. As he made his way through the ranks, he observed the men getting into formation with satisfaction; they seemed almost as eager to avenge his wife as he was.

Heading back from the stables a few moments later, leading his saddled horse behind him, Tavington came upon Marcus Tapp coming out of the barn. A lantern burned inside the structure and looking inside, Tavington could see the vague outline of a woman clad only in a shift.

"Did you take care of those items I asked you to get," Tavington asked the sergeant as he collected his own horse.

"Everything's ready and completely in order," Tapp assured him. "I took care of it all before bedding down last night." Gesturing to where several privates were clustered, already mounted up and waiting to go, he continued, "They've got it there between them and it will be standing by for when you need to use it."

"Excellent," Tavington replied, sparing a glance to verify Tapp's words. "Tell the men to be ready to move out in ten minutes."

"Yes, sir."

Ten minutes later, the dragoon column left the plantation as the dark of night had lightened into a purplish hue. Tavington kept his own counsel as the group rode swiftly up the road toward Pembroke, his mind on the job ahead. Bordon and Wilkins, too, remained silent, and some of the men behind took the opportunity to doze a bit in the saddle, so they'd be alert later on when it counted.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Get up, Zeke!" Mattie Draper bellowed at her snoring brother later that same morning. "It's nearly time for church!"

"Go 'way," he mumbled, as he rolled over in the prickly hay. "I don't feel so good and I've got better things to do than listen to that boring old preacher. I need to get some rest before I go back to Martin's camp today."

"I don't want to hear none of that," she replied unsympathetically. "We're all going and you are, too. What kind of an example would you be settin' for my boys if you don't go to church?" Pulling on his ear to get him up, she added, "Besides, Luke saw Gabriel Martin headin' into town a little while ago, so you can ride back to camp with him after church."

"All right, all right, I'm comin'," Rollins grumbled, knowing it was no use to argue. When Mattie had her mind set on something, she was like a dog with a bone and would never let it go. But he dawdled just enough so that the family was late in setting out for town.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

As the dragoon column neared Pembroke a couple of hours later, Tavington directed the group onto a narrow path through the woods skirting Pembroke. The dragoons moved slowly and cautiously down the winding trail to avoid detection by townspeople arriving late to church. They'd heard the church bells in the distance announcing the start of the morning service a short time ago, but there were always the inevitable stragglers who would be arriving late.

"The Hudson farm is shortly up ahead," Wilkins warned Tavington. He'd told his commander the night before that Rollins' brother-in-law had a farm just outside of Pembroke and that they might be able to find Rollins and Mattie there.

Tavington held up one hand to stop the group, putting a finger to his lips, silently ordering them to remain quiet. "Wilkins, send a few scouts up ahead to see if anyone is at home," Tavington told him in a low voice.

Within moments the scouts had returned to report that the farm was vacant, but that they'd seen a small group on the main road heading slowly into town.

An evil grin spread across William Tavington's face. "That's it," he crowed. "We've got them!"

Looking over his shoulder at Marcus Tapp, who was several horses behind him, he gestured to the sergeant to join him.

"Sergeant Tapp," Tavington said. "Rollins and his family have been spotted on the main road, not far from the farm ahead. I want you and about ten men to slip up on them quickly and quietly, then capture them without killing them, if you can."

After Tapp nodded in acknowledgment, he continued. "Once you've captured them, I want them restrained, so we can take them into Pembroke and make a public example of them in front of the entire town. We'll follow you in once you've neutralized them and we'll gather in front of the church."

"Yes, sir, right away," Tapp said briskly. He quickly motioned to the usual men in his entourage and the small group rapidly moved out to do Tavington's bidding.

Moments later, the small detachment shadowed Rollins and his family, who were riding in a slow-moving, heavy farm wagon, from the woods until Tapp determined the right place to ambush them.

"I'll get Rollins, and Freeman and Sanders will get the wagon stopped," Tapp told the men. "The rest of you will cover us to make sure there aren't any nasty surprises and that their brats don't run off."

The dragoons all nodded their understanding, after which Tapp said, "Let's do it, then."

Less then a minute later, Marcus Tapp burst out of the woods directly behind Rollins' horse. He was on Rollins before the partisan could react, hitting him in the back of the head with the butt of his carbine. Rollins immediately toppled from his horse, with Tapp grabbing him by the scruff of the neck before he could hit the ground. Quickly dismounting, he pulled a short length of rope from his saddle to bind the partisan's wrists together.

The other dragoons had meanwhile surrounded Rollins' two sisters and his brother-in-law in the wagon and soon had the family neutralized by the time Tavington and the rest of the dragoons caught up and surrounded them. The adults were frozen in shock, with the terrified children moaning in fear.

By this time, Tapp had dragged the stunned Rollins to his feet and threaded a longer rope through his restraints and had tied the other end to his saddle. Tavington came alongside him as he re-mounted his horse.

Looking down with undisguised loathing at Rollins, who was still woozy and disoriented from the blow to his head, Tavington had to repress the urge to unsheath his sabre and run him through right then and there. _No_, he thought to himself. _That would be too easy and he doesn't deserve an easy death_. Turning his attention to Tapp, he told the sergeant, "Let's get this piece of filth into town and let's finish this."

Tapp nodded and immediately set off at a pace deliberately designed to make the hapless Rollins stumble and fall. The tall sergeant looked back behind him a few times, laughing scornfully at Rollins' inability to keep to his feet.

By the time the dragoons had assembled in front of the church, Rollins had been dragged for most of the way, to Tavington's great satisfaction. As Tapp ordered two privates to tie the now cut and bruised partisan to a tree in the churchyard, Tavington directed other dragoons to surround the church so no townspeople could escape out the windows and sent others to check the town to make sure they'd not missed anyone not in church. Other dragoons prodded Rollins' family out of the wagon, to stand under guard near the tree where the partisan was tied

Tavington positioned his horse to face the doomed partisan and his family, with Bordon and Wilkins flanking him on either side and Tapp off to the side a little ways where he could quickly carry out more orders that Tavington might have.

Glaring balefully at the terrified Ezekiel Rollins, he began coldly, "I suppose there's no need to explain to you why I'm here."

Rollins, still reeling from the blow to the head and being dragged into town, refused to beg for his life. Naomi and their baby were gone, so the small man didn't really have much to look forward to after the war, in any instance.

"I have no regrets," he said hoarsely "I'm only sorry that I didn't get to finish what I started and that Billings didn't get to plow the bitch, too." Staring up at Tavington with spiteful eyes, he ground out, "Go ahead, do your worst."

"Oh, I fully intend to," Tavington assured him, smirking. "All in due time."

Mattie Draper, who up until now had been frozen with shock, suddenly found her voice. "That high and mighty slut just came to Pembroke like she owns the place," she spat, loudly enough for everyone to hear. "She's lucky that Zeke just didn't kill her like she deserved, the traitorous bitch."

Marcus Tapp glanced at William Tavington, catching his eye with a questioning look. Tavington gave him an imperceptible nod, which was all the permission Tapp needed. Slipping soundlessly off his black gelding, Tapp was at Mattie's side in an instant, grabbing a handful of her hair and wrenching her head back as he dragged her to a tree near the one that her brother was lashed to.

Sanders and Freeman, realizing what the Sergeant intended to do, rushed over to stand on either side of the tree in case Mattie tried to get away.

Tapp shoved the rebel woman's face hard into the tree with one hand, where the two privates grabbed her arms to hold her still while Tapp quickly unbuttoned his breeches. Wasting no time, he spat on his hands, then ran them over his hard member, before roughly entering the now-shaking woman.

Pulling her head back forcibly by the hank of hair in which he still had his hand securely wrapped in, he muttered, "Who's the slut now? When we're done with you, you won't be able to even twitch."

Several of the dragoons began catcalling as Tapp thrusted viciously into the unfortunate woman.

"Woo, hoo, Tapp!" Sanders exclaimed, whistling loudly. "Give it to her good!"

"I want a turn when you're done!" Freeman put in.

Rollins turned his head in anguish, not able to bear witnessing his sister's brutal public humiliation.

Tavington, who had been watching the partisan to see his reaction to his sister's rape, called out imperiously, "You _will _pay attention to this, Rollins! If you close your eyes or turn your head again, I will instruct Sergeant Tapp to run her through with his sabre and put an end to her right now!"

Before Rollins could react, the church doors opened with a loud squeal and several townspeople appeared in the doorway, attracted by all the noise. There were several gasps as they caught sight of Rollins lashed to the tree and Marcus Tapp, still rutting vigorously into Mattie Draper.

Several dragoons moved to intercept them, quickly checking the men for weapons. They found only one armed man, Gabriel Martin, whom they quickly disarmed.

As they were about to herd the group back into the church Tavington noticed Anne Howard and her mother among this group. He held up one hand to stay their actions, then said, "Let them watch. They need to see what sort of consequences that such actions result in."

At the sight of the sneering British officer who had so callously killed her beloved father, Anne Howard saw red and immediately lost all control. Breaking away from Gabriel, she marched right up to Tavington and hissed, "How dare you come here on a Sunday and desecrate our churchyard during a worship service! Have you no respect for our Lord, at the very least?"

Looking down at the angry young women with an almost bored expression, he replied, "I see that I was amiss in not permanently silencing you on my last visit to Pembroke."

Anne, suddenly realizing the rashness of her words, turned to run back to Gabriel as she saw Tavington almost lazily dismounting his horse. The young woman hadn't taken two steps when she ran headlong into two burly dragoons, who held her in place.

"Where was your Christian charity when my wife came to your door seeking refuge from harm?" Tavington harshly demanded. "It seems as if there was no room at the inn for her when she called on the _good Christian people_ of Pembroke for help." He spat the last few words out as if they were an epithet.

Moving closer to the petrified woman, he said, "I'm not a reverent man, as you should well know by now." Tavington said, then casually unbuttoned his breeches. With a gleeful smirk, he emptied his full bladder all over her in a forceful stream, aiming so that some drops made contact with her face.

Quickly buttoning back up after he was done, he murmured, "There. Now I've shown the proper respect in which I hold you and the citizens of Pembroke."

Gabriel Martin, seeing his intended's humiliation, rushed to attack Tavington, but was suddenly felled when Marcus Tapp pistol whipped him from behind. Tapp had finished up with Mattie, turning her over to another dragoon, and had come over to see what was going on when Martin made his ill-fated move.

Glancing up gratefully at Tapp's timely intervention, Tavington said, "Enough delay; let's do what we came here for, Sergeant. Are the items we discussed earlier ready to be used?"

"Yes, sir," Tapp said, gesturing to two nearby dragoons to get the items in question.

A couple of moments later, the dragoons returned, rolling a large, heavy wooden barrel between them.

Turning back to the townspeople still in the church doorway, Tavington looked down scornfully at Anne in her sodden gown bent over Gabriel, who was out cold. Indicating the barrel with one hand, he said, "Here's another lesson from the Bible for the people of Pembroke: an eye for an eye."

As the dragoons set the barrel upright in the middle of the churchyard, they removed several bayonets from inside. The bayonets were tipped with wooden pegs on the end that normally attached to a musket.

Standing between the townspeople and the tree from which Tapp had untied Rollins and was now dragging him toward the barrel, Tavington continued, "As I contemplated how to best deal with what this misbegotten mongrel did to my beloved wife, I was reminded of a book I'd read several years ago about Medieval torture. It seems as if one unfortunate soul had been sentenced to die by being put into a barrel, which then had knives thrust into it, after which the barrel was dragged through the town square by a man on a horse until he was dead."

Looking over at Rollins, he said with a tight feral grin, "I deemed it the perfect way to end your miserable life." Indicating Bordon and Wilkins, who stood by their commander with grim expressions, "I'm sure you heard of how these officers dealt with the scum who violated Mary Miller. What you are about to experience will be much, much worse, I promise you."

At hearing Tavington's words, a dark stain suddenly appeared on the front of Rollins' breeches with a small puddle appearing below him as he lost control of his bladder. A foul stench soon arose from him as his bowels similarly erupted.

"Sergeant Tapp, if you please," Tavington said, turning to the tall man. "Let's get on with it."

Within two minutes, Ezekiel Rollins had been stuffed into the barrel, with the lid being nailed shut on top of it.

"Good thing he's a sawed-off little bastard," Tapp observed darkly. "If he'd been my size, I'd have had to dismember him to get him in there."

"Quite," Tavington acknowledged, not doubting for a moment that Tapp would have done so had it been necessary.

Gesturing to Sanders and Freeman, Tapp grabbed a couple of the bayonets, while the two corporals did the same. They shoved them into Rollins' body through the gaps between the boards, repeating the action until all the bayonets were gone. Rollins began to howl like an animal as the first bayonet pierced his body, which soon morphed into a low moan.

Tapp then returned to his horse, which still had the rope attached to it that he'd used to drag Rollins into town with. Bringing the horse close to the barrel, he prepared to attach it to the trailing end of the rope.

Before he could do so, Tavington stepped forward, leading his own horse. "Stand down, Sergeant," he ordered. "I intend to personally see to this detail myself."

"Of course, Colonel," Tapp said, moving to transfer the ropes to his commander's horse, after which he securely attached the barrel. "You're all ready to go."

Tavington swung up into the saddle, with his men quickly standing aside so that he could get through. Once he'd cleared the group of people clustered around the churchyard, he dug his spurs into his horse's flank, while simultaneously switching the animal with his riding crop. The horse shot forward as if being shot out of a cannon, with the barrel bouncing crazily behind. Rollins' howls, at first clearly heard by everyone in town, soon subsided to an eerie silence.

The dragoon charged up and down Pembroke's main street three times before returning to the churchyard with the barrel, now stained red with blood which still seeped out the bottom as Tavington slipped down from the horse.

Mattie Draper, who was still being mounted in turn by a waiting line of dragoons, had not seen her brother's grisly death, but began to wail in anguish. Her crying children were being comforted by their aunt and uncle, who still could not quite register what they were seeing.

"Let's finish it," Tavington said wearily. "Get them all into the church." Turning to the dragoon currently on top of Mattie, he added, "Enough, soldier. Get her in there, too."

Several dragoons responded, herding the stunned townspeople back into the church, using their muskets when necessary to move them along. One dragoon picked up the still unconscious Gabriel Martin under the armpits and hauled him inside.

The barrel, containing the oozing remains of Ezekiel Rollins, was also rolled inside and left beside his weeping sister, whose petticoat was in tatters and her legs slick with the semen of at least a dozen dragoons. Her four crying children rushed to her, still unaware of what was about to happen.

Once all the townspeople were in the church, Tavington stood in the doorway to address them. "I will leave you with what Miss Howard so charitably told my wife yesterday when she sought refuge: 'You reap what you sow'. And so all of you shall now."

He turned and walked away, then ordered a young private, "Close the doors."

As the dragoon obeyed, other dragoons closed and secured the shutters to all the windows around the church.

Marcus Tapp, meanwhile, had directed several men to light torches and they stood waiting as Tavington returned to the churchyard.

"Fire when ready, Sergeant," Tavington ordered.

Tapp hurled the first torch which landed neatly on the roof, which immediately caught fire. Several dragoons followed suit and the church was soon fully engulfed in flames, Moments later, as the dragoons returned to their horses to mount up, the shrieks of the dying townspeople could be clearly heard.

"Move out," Tavington said, holding up one gloved hand. "Our business is concluded here."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_**Author's note:** Years ago, I actually did read about someone being executed in the same manner that Rollins was. I can't remember the exact source, but I think it was in the book of fairy tales._

_There's a new entry in my blog, "Inspiration From Books". Vote in the poll there to choose the actor whom you would have chosen to play Sergeant Marcus Tapp, had his character appeared in the Patriot. The blog can be accessed from a link on my profile page._


	41. Decisions

As plumes of smoke from the Pembroke church spread higher into the sky behind them, Tavington and his dragoons thundered out of town, back down the road toward the plantation. They'd make better time in returning as there was no longer any need for stealth.

Tavington felt spent as their horses ate up the road toward home. The surging energy that had coursed through him this morning was gone, now that he'd accomplished what he set out to do. He looked forward to holding Charlotte in his arms once again and getting her safely back to the fort.

James Bordon looked over at the Colonel as they rode, noting his pensive expression. He recalled the conflicted thoughts that had gone through his own mind when they'd ridden back to the fort after he and Wilkins had executed the partisans who had assaulted Mary.

"Is everything all right, Colonel," Bordon asked, concerned.

"Yes, Bordon, I'm fine," Tavington replied wearily. "I'll just be glad to put this behind me and get on the with task of winning the war."

"Oh, I don't think you'll ever completely forget about it," Bordon said quietly. "At least I haven't forgotten what I had to do for Mary. I did what was necessary for her honour, but the memory of it will always be there to haunt me."

"Perhaps," Tavington said, his tone somewhat testy. "But I don't intend to allow my memories to ever control my actions. This is war and, sometimes, brutality must be employed." After a pause, he said sharply, "Charlotte is my main concern. I would do _anything_ in my power to keep her safe and unharmed, even give up my own life if it were to her benefit."

Bordon sighed gustily. He could not argue with that, as his own motivations had been the same. Still, he could not help but feel a little sick at how far Tavington went to gain his revenge. He could understand killing Rollins and perhaps ravishing his sister, but to wipe out an entire town?

"I feel the same way about Mary," Bordon admitted. "She is my life."

The two officers fell silent then, each returning to their own private thoughts. Bordon did not bother to voice his misgivings to Tavington about the utter destruction of Pembroke's population, as he knew it would be a waste of breath.

Further back in the column, Corporal John Sanders was riding side by side with Marcus Tapp.

Looking over at the hard-nosed sergeant, Sanders said hesitantly, "Don't you think we should have pulled those bayonets out of the barrel before rolling it up into the church to get burned."

"Nah," Tapp said lazily. "Most of them were old and rusty with dull blades, anyway." After a beat, he added, "They were set to be thrown out with the trash - and they were." At the thought of Rollins, Tapp leaned over and hawked a wad of phlegm onto the road.

"Seems like a waste of good metal, is all," Sanders insisted. "Someone could have sharpened the blades, then we'd have had plenty of extras in case we needed them."

Tapp gave out a short bark of laughter. "Why are you so worried about it?" he demanded. "It's not as if you had to pay for the damned things yourself."

"I know," Sanders said. "But I can't stand to waste anything. I didn't have much growing up, so I try to get as much use out of things as I can now."

"I understand," Tapp said heavily. "I grew up the same way. Half the time I went to bed hungry when I was a boy."

Quickly changing the subject, he added, "Don't think another thing about it. We did our duty and did it well, so that's the end of it. As for me, I'm looking forward to bedding that rebel's wench once we get back to the plantation." Looking sideways at the other man, he said, "And I'm in such a good mood that if you ask me nicely, I might even let you have a go at her, too."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Charlotte Tavington had spent much of the day making baby clothes with Ruth and Magnolia in the front sitting room. Dr Sibley alternately dozed and read in a chair by the fire as the women worked. Lt. Ogilvie did not venture far from her for much of the day, with the two cornets keeping a close watch from their post on the porch.

Though the work was calming and the two women kept her fairly well distracted with idle chatter about babies, Charlotte could not really relax. Her mind kept returning to William and she got up from her seat several times during the day to look out the window and to listen for the rumble of hoof beats.

"Miss Charlotte," Magnolia said, frowning, after Charlotte had gone to the window for about the 20th time that day. "You're going to wear a hole in the rug if you keep goin' back and forth like that." In a gentler tone, she continued, "I know you're worried about the Colonel, but he knows what he's about. He'll be fine and he'll be home safe and sound before you know it. You shouldn't fret so."

"I know you're right, but I can't help but worry," Charlotte said, tugging at the old powdered wig she'd taken out of mothballs to wear until her own hair grew back in. "It's just my nature to fret."

After a bit more tugging, she tore off the old wig in frustration. "I can't stand wearing that thing any more," she cried. "Wearing this itchy old wig makes me feel as if I have bugs crawling on my head. I'd rather bear the shame than wear this another moment!"

Ruth and Magnolia exchanged glances, then Ruth suggested, "Why don't we take some of this fine linen and make you a new cap that will cover your head more adequately. You still have a fair bit of hair on top of your head in front that you can let peek out and we can sew a little lamb's wool into the cap to pad it out a bit so the hair loss won't be so noticeable."

"Yes, that should work," Charlotte agreed. "And, at some point, I think I'll pay to have a better wig made in my own hair colour. No more powdered wigs for me - they always did make me sneeze."

"Your hair will grow back before you know it," Ruth said consolingly.

"I'm sure you're right," Charlotte said with a brave smile, putting a gentle hand on Ruth's arm.

Charlotte settled down somewhat after this, but still couldn't help but check the window every now and then, nonetheless.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Benjamin Martin grew increasingly apprehensive as the day wore on and Gabriel still did not return to camp. There was no sign of Rollins, either. He tried to concentrate on the task of melting down more metal to use in the bullet mould, but his mind was not on the task.

As he ruined the third bullet that day, Reverend Oliver came over and took a seat next to him. "Are you all right, Ben?"

"It's Gabriel," he said. "He should have been back here hours ago." After a pause, he added, "Rollins should have been back by now, too."

"Gabriel likely just lost track of the time," Oliver reasoned. "He did say something about Mrs Howard serving him and Anne a special dinner after church to celebrate the reading of the banns."

"I suppose you're right," Ben said heavily. "But I don't have a good feeling about this. You would think that Rollins would at least have shown up by now."

"Billings said that Rollins was drunk when he left him," the reverend reminded him. "It will take awhile for Rollins to recover from that before he returns. I imagine he has quite the hangover."

"That's true," Martin admitted. "I still won't feel much better until Gabriel returns, however. Tavington is out there, no doubt out for blood, and I don't want him to get caught up in the middle of it"

Two hours later, Gabriel still had not returned. By this time, Ben was pacing in agitation, beside himself with worry.

Reverend Oliver had watched him for the better part of an hour, and was beginning to get concerned himself. Walking quietly over to Martin, he suggested. "Ben, why don't you and I take a ride into Pembroke to see what's going on. Likely, he's with Anne and has just lost track of the time, but we should go anyway, so you can set your mind at ease."

"Let's go," Martin said, moving to his already-saddled horse with alacrity. He'd been thinking of doing just that since he and Oliver had last talked.

Within moments, the two partisans were making their way to the winding path that led away from the swamp toward Pembroke. Martin had told the others to stay put until he and Oliver returned.

The two men did not talk much as they rode nearer to the small village, as each was monitoring their surroundings very carefully lest they run into one of Tavington's patrols.

As they reached the outskirts of Pembroke, Ben felt a sense of foreboding, weighing him down as if he'd ingested a cannonball. A faint smell of smoke combined with that of cooked meat hit them as soon as they'd cleared the woods and grew steadily stronger the closer they came to the town.

Combined with the smoke and the smell, there was an eerie silence. The only sounds that could be heard were the birds in the trees and the mournful baying of a single dog.

Spurring his horse, Ben felt a lump rising in his throat, "I don't like this," he said, tugging at his collar nervously. "Something is seriously wrong here."

Not a single person was seen as they rushed into the town at a gallop. Glancing down the length of the street, Benjamin Martin saw the still smouldering ruins of the church on the far end of town. There had been no attempt to put out the fire and though no other buildings had been damaged, he didn't see any sign of current human habitation anywhere in town. Hoof prints were evident everywhere, especially in front of the church, making it obvious to both men that the Green Dragoons had returned to Pembroke.

Looking over at the cemetery, he noted the freshly dug grave of Naomi Rollins, whose death Billings had reported when he'd returned to camp.

Turning to the reverend, Ben croaked, "Where is everyone? Did they all flee into the woods or did Tavington take them all prisoner? He couldn't have taken them _all_, could he?"

"No," Reverend Oliver said sorrowfully. "He didn't…" The older man pointed dumbly to the church's charred door frame to which a blackened chain and padlock were still attached.

"Oh, my God," Ben cried, quickly dismounting and running up to the still-smouldering structure. "Everyone. Tavington killed everyone. He didn't leave a single survivor."

The partisan leader poked around among the ruins in a stunned daze, not quite able to register the sweeping magnitude of Tavington's revenge.

"Gabriel," Ben moaned. "I never should have let him come into Pembroke. I knew Tavington would be out for blood, but I thought he would be looking just for Rollins."

"You don't know that Gabriel was in there," the reverend pointed out, not quite believing his own words.

"Gabriel and I saved Charlotte from Rollins, did you know that?" Ben said, shaking his head, not even hearing Oliver's words. "We saved her and then brought her safely home!"

Turning, he grabbed Oliver's arm, his eyes showing a manic gleam. "And this is how he shows his gratitude? He kills my son, along with innocent villagers."

Gulping in air in great heaving waves, Martin took a long moment to collect himself. Pulling himself together as best as he could, he continued, "I could have understood him killing Rollins. I would have wanted to do the same if I'd been in his shoes. But to kill innocent women and children, and my son who helped to stop it?"

Oliver didn't say anything, but gave him a sympathetic look, letting him get it all out of his system.

Now babbling almost incoherently, Ben pressed on. "Charlotte had to have told Tavington what Gabriel and I did to save her, wouldn't she have?" Not waiting for a response, he continued, "Surely Tavington could not possibly be that much of a monster."

Straightening up, he turned back to the older man, with his eyes now clear with purpose. "I should have let Rollins rape her. And then Billings."

"No, Ben, no," Oliver said, distressed. "You did the right thing; you know you did."

"Did I?" he challenged bitterly. "Perhaps if I'd let Rollins proceed, Gabriel would still be alive now. Maybe he and I should have followed suit and had her, too. She really does need to be taught a lesson for marrying the Butcher, you know. None of this would have happened if she'd married me like she was supposed to!"

Oliver knew that Ben was talking out of grief, but he knew it was important to distract him, so that he'd not continue down this self destructive path. "Ben, we need to get back to camp as quickly as we can and bring the men back so we can give all these people proper burials," Reverend Oliver said quietly. "We need to do this right away."

"You're right," the younger man said helplessly. "But once we're done, it's time to get back to fighting. I make you a solemn vow now - before this war is over, I intend to kill that bastard Tavington, even if it's the last thing I ever do."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

As the dragoon column finally turned up the now-familiar tree lined lane leading up to the plantation house, Tavington smiled to himself as he saw Charlotte hurry onto the porch to greet him. Lt. Ogilvie followed closely behind her, flanked by the two cornets.

He was relieved to see her up and about and safely guarded by the able young officers, looking much better than when he'd left her that morning. And as she rushed eagerly down the steps to meet him, he thought to himself that what he'd had to do in Pembroke that day was worth it, and he'd do it all over again if he had to.

Galloping ahead of the column, he met Charlotte at the bottom of the stairs, quickly sliding off his horse to take her into his arms. Cornet Jones stepped up briskly to take charge of his horse, as Tavington leaned down to capture Charlotte's lips with his own.

"Oh, Will!" she breathed, as the rest of the dragoons thundered past them on the way back to their encampment. "I'm so glad you're home! I was worried about you all day!"

"Everything's fine, love," he murmured in her ear as they made their way up the steps into the house. "If you're up to it, we'll head back to the fort tomorrow."

"Oh, yes!" she cried, still clutching on to his arm. "The sooner, the better. In fact, Ruth already has our baggage ready to go."

"Your wish is my command," he said, giving her an indulgent smile. "In fact, the sooner I have you back safe at the fort, the happier I'll be."

After telling Ogilvie to inform the men that they'd be heading back to the fort in the morning, Tavington took Charlotte upstairs where they could speak in private. He'd made a decision, one that would be better shared in the privacy of their bedroom.

He took her to a pair of chairs by the bedroom fireplace as soon as he'd shut the door behind them, so she'd know he really wanted to talk, rather than proceed directly to bed sport. That would occur later, if she were amenable, but for now, Tavington needed to share the decision that had occupied most of his thoughts on the ride back from Pembroke.

"Sit down, love," he began. "On the way back home today, it occurred to me that I needed to make a decision about something that affects us both. I came to that decision and I wanted you to know as quickly as possible."

"What is it, William?" Charlotte asked in bewilderment. She waited patiently for him to reply as he settled himself into the chair next to her.

Taking both her hands in his own, he began, "Since we've been married, I've been thinking of where we'll live after the war. As you would imagine, much of that depends on the eventual outcome of the war."

"Of course," Charlotte replied. "Go on."

"In light of recent events, I've come to the realization that no matter the outcome of the war, we cannot live here at the plantation," he told her. "There would be too many unpleasant memories of what happened and I'd imagine we'd never be accepted as part of the community." Looking intently at his wife, he concluded, "I've decided to sell the plantation."

Charlotte remained silent for a long moment, attempting to take it all in. The property had been in her family for decades and it would be hard to give it up. But as she considered her husband's words, she knew he was right.

"Perhaps it would be for the best, William," she said hesitantly. "Though I dearly love my home here, it would never be the same after what has happened. My family is gone now, so perhaps it is time for us to move on as well."

"I'm glad you agree," Tavington said, obviously relieved. He'd be selling the place no matter how she felt about it, but it would be much easier with her being in accord with him. "I also considered the fact that if the war should go against us, we'd not get any money for the place, as it would end up being confiscated. It's better to sell now while we can still turn a fair profit on it."

"That's true," she agreed. "It would be a sad thing to wait too long and see it taken away from us." Thinking for a moment, she added, "We might be able to find a buyer in Charlestown, I think."

"That's what I thought," he replied. "I'm sure you know plenty of people there with sufficient funds to buy it."

"That I do," she smiled. "And I've had plenty of offers over the years as well."

"I'm glad that's settled, then," he said, smiling. "When we get back to the fort, we'll get started on finding a buyer." Taking her hand and leading her to the bed, he said, "Now then, shall we have a bit more of a…personal…reunion, hmm?"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

As Marcus Tapp rode back to the enlisted men's tent encampment, he found the rebel wench he'd picked up sitting in front of his tent darning a pair of his stockings. Tapp sighed impatiently as he slowly dismounted his black gelding and then tied the animal to a nearby tree.

He already regretted bringing the young woman along with him, wishing he'd just rogered her and left her where he'd found her. As he turned to walk the short distance to his tent, he decided that he'd turn her loose to fend for herself once they got to the fort. After all, he'd done what he'd promised - to take her away from that dreary backwoods cabin - and he figured he didn't owe her any more than that.

But for now, she was here and she was willing, and he had an itch that needed scratching. Smiling down at the hopeful woman, he murmured, "Waitin' for me, huh? Why don't you come into the tent, Rebecca, and take care of me."

"Rachel," she said in a low voice. "My name is Rachel."

"Whatever," Tapp said, shrugging dismissively, sitting down on his cot to remove his boots.

As he quickly stripped off his uniform, he instructed her, "Take off your clothes so I can watch."

After she complied, he pulled her down onto the cot, rolling her underneath him. Very soon, the only sounds that could be heard inside the tent were the sighs and groans of their mutual pleasure.

About a half hour later, a sharp knock sounded on Tapp's tent pole. "Sergeant Tapp! Colonel Tavington wants to see you right away at the main house," a voice called from outside the tent.

Easing up from the cot, Tapp quickly dressed, leaving Rachel to sleep. Within minutes, he was loping up to the main house. As he entered the foyer of the plantation house, Lt. Ogilvie gestured to a door on the right and said, "Go into the library. The Colonel is waiting for you."

"You wished to see me, sir?" Marcus Tapp asked as he entered the room and found Tavington sitting behind a desk, clad in a banyan over his shirt and breeches.

"Yes, Sergeant," Tavington said briskly. "I could have waited until we returned to the fort to tell you this, but I'm thinking you'd want to know now."

"Sir?" Tapp asked.

Tavington stood and came out from behind the desk. "Sergeant Marcus Tapp, I hereby inform you that you've been promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major." Extending his hand to the taller man to shake, Tavington added, "Congratulations, Tapp. I'd made this decision a few days ago, but with what has been going on in the last two days, I hadn't the chance to tell you yet."

"Thank you, sir," Tapp replied, as he shook the colonel's hand.

"I'll make it all official once we return to the fort,' Tavington said. "We'll leave at first light tomorrow."


	42. Back at the Fort

Charlotte Tavington nearly sobbed with relief when she saw the gates of the fort come into view as the dragoon column approached the fort. She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding as the gates swung open to admit them, and felt as if a lead weight had been lifted from her. William hadn't told her much about what had happened in Pembroke the day before, except to say that Rollins and Mattie had been 'dealt with' and couldn't hurt her again. Nevertheless, while on the road between the plantation and the fort, she hadn't been able to help feeling apprehensive.

As William Tavington saw her features relax, he leaned over and said, "Home again, safe and sound."

"Amen," Charlotte murmured fervently. "I never thought I'd be so happy to return here."

Ten minutes later, the Tavingtons entered their quarters, followed by Ruth. After helping the women with their bags, he turned to his wife and said, "I'm sorry, but I must go see the Lord General right away and make my report. It shouldn't take that long. Will you and Ruth be all right while I'm gone?"

"Yes, of course, William," she said, smiling. "We're fine. I feel quite safe here at the fort." Giving him a kiss on the cheek, she added, "Ruth and I will tidy up here a bit, then do a bit of unpacking."

"Excellent," he said, smiling, then gave her a kiss before heading to the door.

As he walked to the Lord General's office, Tavington knew he had to get to Cornwallis and tell him what had happened at Pembroke before the rumour mill got started and blew the story all out of proportion.

To Tavington's great relief, Cornwallis was in and available when he arrived at his office. He found the Lord General alone, catching up on some paperwork while he enjoyed a cup of tea.

Looking up from his work as the younger officer entered the office, Cornwallis said, "Have a seat, Tavington. I was just attending to some mundane paperwork, so go ahead with your report." Before Tavington could begin, he asked, "Were you able to locate many of the homesteads of Martin's men?"

"We found and destroyed four farms, leaving their families in disarray," Tavington told him.

"That's a good start," Cornwallis interrupted. "But why are you back so soon? I would have thought you'd have stayed out on patrol until you'd found more."

"We had planned to, but something unforeseen came up," Tavington said carefully.

"Oh?" Cornwallis said, raising an eyebrow. "Go on."

Clearing his throat, Tavington looked around before replying, his discomfort obviously showing.

Finally, he said, "While my men and I were raiding the four farms, my wife decided to go into Pembroke to see her seamstress. She'd though it would be safe in light of the intelligence that put Martin's partisans heading rapidly to the north."

Pausing a moment to collect himself, he continued, "But it seems as if our intelligence reports were not entirely accurate. As my wife left the tailor shop, she was accosted by two men from Martin's militia. One of them was about to rape her, with the other waiting to take his turn, when Martin and the rest of the militia turned up in Pembroke. Martin stopped his man, Ezekiel Rollins, from completing the act - probably because Charlotte was his wife's sister - after which, he saw her safely home."

"I don't know what to say, Tavington," Cornwallis said, stunned by the news of what had nearly happened to Charlotte Tavington. "You have my sympathies."

After an awkward moment, he added, "And in regards to the intelligence you received, it seems that Martin and his militia were heading up to help Shelby at King's Mountain. My guess is that it was all over and done with before they could get there, so they simply decided to return home."

"Martin had left by the time I returned to the plantation that evening," Tavington continued, his emotions carefully controlled. "After my wife told me the details of what had happened, I decided to return to Pembroke to look for this Rollins and make him pay for what he'd done. Wilkins had told me that Rollins' sister lived in Pembroke, so I thought we'd have a good chance of finding him there. I also thought I might have a chance to fight the rest of the militia as well."

"Did you find Rollins, then?" Cornwallis asked eagerly. "And did you engage the militia?"

"Oh, yes," Tavington affirmed, a feral expression appearing on his face. "We didn't find the militia, but I took care of Rollins quite handily, I can assure you."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "But we had trouble with the residents of Pembroke, my Lord. They instigated an armed resistance and I'm afraid we had to put it down, and in a most brutal fashion, I might add. I lost two men during the fracas, but I can assure you there will no further resistance whatsoever from the town of Pembroke."

Cornwallis suspected there was more to the story than that, but he did not inquire because he really did not want to know. As long as Tavington was getting the job done eliminating the partisan threat, the General would not look too closely at his methods.

Changing the subject somewhat, Cornwallis asked, "How is Mistress Tavington? I trust that her baby is unharmed?"

"She's fine," Tavington assured him. "A doctor examined her and said nothing was wrong. Of course, she was rudely handled and ended up having most of her hair shorn off."

"Does she have a good wig?" the Lord General asked. "She could wear one until her own hair grows back."

"She has an old powdered wig, but is rather disinclined to wear it, I'm afraid," Tavington said, chuckling. "She says it itches."

"It just so happens that my wigmaker is coming to fit me for a new wig tomorrow," Cornwallis told him. "I'm sure he'd be quite happy to fit your wife as well. I can assure you he'll make her one that won't itch. And he'll be able to do one in her natural hair colour as well, if she prefers."

"Thank you, my Lord," Tavington said. "I'll be sure to tell her."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

James Bordon was glad to finally climb the stairs to the quarters he shared with his wife, Mary. He hoped they'd have a few days at the fort to spend together so that they could work on making a baby, something they'd been hoping for since their wedding day. After all the horror he'd seen yesterday in Pembroke, it seemed all the more important to him to bring a new life into the world; to create, rather than destroy.

Bordon found Mary and Susan sitting together by the fire doing some mending as he came through the door. He smiled with contentment at the sight of his small family.

Dropping her mending into the basket, Mary jumped up to greet her husband. "James! I didn't expect you home so soon!" Throwing herself into his waiting arms, she murmured, "But I'm delighted to see you. I hope you'll be able to stay for a few days this time."

"I sincerely hope so," he said wearily. "I need to forget about the war for a little while."

At the tone of his voice, Mary looked up at her husband to see the haunted look on his face. "What's wrong, James?" she asked in concern. "What happened?"

"Not now," Bordon said, looking pointedly at Susan. "Later, when we're alone."

Mary couldn't wait until bedtime to hear what was bothering her husband, so she turned to Susan and said, "Susan, why don't you go outside and play until dinnertime. You've not been outside all day and you could use some sun."

After the young girl had complied, Mary joined Bordon on the sofa, where he was removing his boots.

"What is troubling you, James," Mary asked gently, taking his hand. "I can tell from the look on your face that something is wrong."

Pausing for a moment to think of how to tell her, Bordon finally said, "It's Charlotte Tavington. She was nearly raped in Pembroke the other day while we were out on patrol. It was another of Ben Martin's men."

Mary blanched at the reminder of her own rape, but swallowed hard and asked, "What was she doing in Pembroke on her own?"

"Our intelligence indicated there was no partisan activity in the area; that all rebel partisan groups were heading north to assist Isaac Shelby in cornering Patrick Ferguson," Bordon told her. "So Charlotte thought it was safe for her to go into town to see her seamstress."

"Oh, dear," Mary said. "But you said it was an attempted rape, not completed. Did you all ride in at the last moment and save her?"

"No, and you'll never believe who did," Bordon told her. "It was Benjamin Martin, of all people, who stopped it and saw her safely home."

"Well, I'm not entirely surprised by that," Mary said. "After all, she's his dead wife's sister. And I think he'd been wanting to marry her ever since they'd both been widowed."

A moment later she asked, "Is Charlotte all right? And the baby?" Shaking her head, she added, "How did the Colonel react? He must be beside himself with rage."

"Charlotte is fine and so is the baby, considering what happened to her," her husband said. "She's had most of her hair hacked off, as one of the rebel women took out her frustrations on Charlotte."

"And the Colonel?" she reminded him.

Bordon sighed loudly, then briefly covered his face with his hands. "Tavington was livid, to say the least." Turning slightly away from her, he attempted to gather himself together to tell her the next part.

"What happened, James," she asked quietly. "What did he do?"

"It was brutal," he finally said miserably. "I won't give you the details, but not only did he execute the partisan who attacked Charlotte in a most brutal fashion, he allowed the man's sister to be raped repeatedly by several of the men."

Ignoring the look of horror on Mary's face for the time being, he took a deep breath and continued, "And even that did not completely satisfy his desire for revenge. After he dealt with Rollins and his sister, he went on and had the entire population of Pembroke exterminated. It was Sunday and they were all in town for church, so he locked them all in and ordered the church burnt to the ground."

Completely appalled, Mary allowed James to take her into his arms as she digested the enormity of what had happened. "His grief must have driven him to temporary insanity," she surmised. "That can be the only explanation."

"Perhaps," Bordon allowed. "I'd not have faulted him for killing the man who assaulted Charlotte, but the rest of it is beyond my understanding." Heaving another sigh, "It will be a long time before the images of what happened there will leave my mind."

"You didn't, uh,…participate…in that woman's rape, did you?" Mary asked timidly. She didn't think he would, but she had to know for sure.

"No, Mary!" Bordon said indignantly. "How could you even ask me such a thing?"

"I'm sorry, James," she apologized helplessly. "I just needed to hear the words from your own mouth."

"None of the officers participated personally in any of the brutality, except when Tavington himself executed Rollins," he told her. "Tavington left Marcus Tapp in charge of all the dirty work." After a moment he added, "And he went ahead and promoted that jackal Tapp to Sergeant Major before we left the plantation to come back here. But, then, I figured he would, even though I had strongly advised him against it."

"Oh, dear," Mary said. Several times over the past few weeks, James had complained to her about the growing influence the tall sergeant had with Colonel Tavington and of how he thought it a lapse of judgment on Tavington's part.

"Enough talk about that for now," Bordon said brusquely. "I want to forget about the war for awhile and think about increasing our family." He bent his head and gave Mary a long, lingering kiss.

"I'm sorry, James," Mary said, frowning in disappointment. "I got my courses again, yesterday morning. I'd hoped that this time was the charm and that I was finally with child, but not this month, at least." She sighed in frustration, having gone through this very problem with Thomas when they'd tried to have another baby after Susan was born.

"Well, we'll just have to keep on trying," Bordon said with a suggestive grin. "That's where all the fun is, at least."

"I'll just be happy once we finally have a baby on the way," Mary said, sighing.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Marcus Tapp was in a fine mood as the dragoons rode back to the fort from the plantation. He and a few of the other dragoons had raucously celebrated his promotion to Sergeant Major the previous night, having pooled what gin, rum, and wine they had between them. After getting mildly drunk, he returned to his tent to roger Rachel one more time before falling into a contented slumber. Life was good.

Shortly after riding through the gates of the fort with the dragoon column, Tapp veered off and headed straight to the small cluster of tents that housed the camp followers who mainly made their livings on their backs.

As he reached the row of tents, Molly came out of the first tent when she heard the sound of horse hooves coming near.

"Marcus Tapp, you miserable bastard!" she called out with a broad smile on her face. "I didn't expect to see you back so soon. What did you bring me?" She looked up appraisingly at Rachel Scott, still riding pillion with Tapp.

"I'm glad to see you too, Molly," Tapp shot back, laughing heartily as he looked down at the bold trollop. Dismounting easily, then helping Rachel down, he continued, "I've brought you another girl. Her name is, uh, Rachel."

"Oh, she's a pretty one," Molly said, looking closely at the young woman. "How old are you, girl?"

"T-twenty-two," Rachel replied, thoroughly confused.

"I expect you've already sampled the merchandise?" Molly asked Tapp.

"Several times," he assured her with a wink. "Trust me, she'll do just fine."

"Good," Molly said. "I need an extra girl, as Libby up and married Corporal Morris. I even have a tent ready for her."

"I aim to please,' he said lazily, giving her a mock salute. Turning to go back to his horse, he said, "I'll expect the usual twenty percent from everything she makes."

"Naturally," she said, rolling her eyes. "If you like, I'll come by your tent later on and thank you proper for bringing her."

"Yeah, that would be fine," Tapp said, giving her a swat on the rump. "But you'll have to come to see me in the Sergeant Major's tent now. Tavington promoted me last night."

"Congratulations," Molly told him. "You're really coming up in the world."

"I'll see you later, then," Tapp said swinging back up onto his horse.

"I'll look forward to it," Molly told him sincerely. She always had a good workout when she visited the handsome and virile Marcus Tapp.

Before he could ride away, Rachel ran up to his horse and looked up at him. "I thought I was going to be staying with you in your tent and that you'd be taking care of me."

"You're a bit confused, little one," Tapp said with a mocking smile. "I promised to get you away from that backwoods cabin. I did that. I didn't promise to marry you."

Turning his horse away, he said dismissively, "You'll have to make your own way here, same as everyone else. Be a good girl and go with Molly, and she'll treat you right, as long as you don't give her any trouble."

With no further ado, Marcus Tapp rode off. He was ready to find a couple of privates to move his things into the larger Sergeant Major's tent, which stood at the border between the enlisted and officer's encampments.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_**Two days later**_

"Why don't we go find Mary and take a walk around the fort," Charlotte suggested to Ruth, about an hour before lunchtime. "I'm so tired of being indoors and I find that a good walk before a meal improves the appetite."

"Yes, Miss Charlotte, that's a fine idea," Ruth readily agreed. "I believe I fancy a walk, myself."

A few minutes later, after the two women had picked up Mary Bordon and little Susan, Mary turned to Charlotte and asked, "Where shall we walk today?"

"William said that the men would be having sabre practice today," Charlotte informed her. "Why don't we walk down and watch for awhile before lunch?"

"All right," Mary agreed. "I could use the exercise."

As they reached the area where the dragoons were gathered for sabre drill, Ruth's attention was captured by a lone dragoon sitting tall and straight in the saddle, looking almost one with the horse. The sleek, handsome dragoon was demonstrating a slashing manoeuvre to the men in a graceful, almost choreographed, manner, pivoting around so that Ruth could see that his face was as pleasing as the rear view of him had been.

Sighing audibly, Ruth said dreamily, "Oh, my."

"What is it, Ruth?" Charlotte asked in amusement, as Mary looked on. Following Ruth's gaze, Charlotte looked upon the lean figure of Sergeant Major Marcus Tapp.

"He is a handsome creature, is he not?" Ruth murmured, sighing again in appreciation. "I wonder who he is?"

"Oh, that's Marcus Tapp," Charlotte told her. "William just promoted him to Sergeant Major a few days ago." Favouring Ruth with a conspiratorial smile, she said, "And I must agree that he is a most handsome man. He'd be a fine catch for you, Ruth, I'm thinking. William has told me that he was a Sheriff in New Jersey before joining the Green Dragoons and has said that he's a fine soldier."

Mary Bordon looked at the two women with dismay. It was obvious to her that Colonel Tavington had not shared the more unsavoury details of Marcus Tapp's character with his wife. And what James had told her about the man had been in confidence, as it was patently evident that Colonel Tavington had taken the opportunistic Sergeant Major under his patronage. She knew she had to tread carefully, for to now speak disparagingly about the man might reflect badly on James. Knowing that discretion was the better part of valour, she kept her opinion of Marcus Tapp to herself.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_Ruth's line, "He is a handsome creature, is he not?", was lifted directly from Margaret Lawrence's book, "The Burning Bride", when another young woman was looking upon the sight of Marcus Tapp._


	43. Betting on Love

Early that evening, Marcus Tapp sat relaxing in front of his new tent with his supper as was his usual custom. Freeman and Sanders had joined him with their meals and the three men traded good-natured barbs back and forth as they ate.

"I can't believe the two of you today at sabre practice," Tapp said to the two lower ranking dragoons. "You both looked as if you were slicing bread with those sabres of yours, rather than trying to take a man's head off. Those are cavalry sabres you're wearing, not butter knives!"

"Maybe we'd have done better if we'd had a better teacher," Sanders shot back, laughing. "You seemed to have your attention on other things, rather than teachin'."

"I noticed that," Freeman concurred. "And your attention began to wander at just around the time that Tavington's and Bordon's wives came along to watch us." Giving Sanders a conspiratorial grin, he added, "Do you think the two things are related, Sanders?"

"They just might be," John Sanders replied. "Tapp has always been one to think with his cock."

"You're asking for trouble if you try to get under the petticoats of those two women," Joseph Freeman opined. "You saw what both Tavington and Bordon did to the poor slobs who violated their women. Tell me, Sarge, do you have a death wish or something?"

Before Tapp could reply, Sanders put in, "Even if they weren't married, neither one of them would give the likes of you the time of day, Tapp. You'd be out of your element with them."

"Bullshit," Tapp replied. "If I wanted either of those ladies, I'd have them. I'd just say the word and they'd be lifting those petticoats as pretty as you please."

Shuddering, he added, "But you're both right about Tavington and Bordon. They'd unman me, all right, and I value my parts too much to risk that. Those two wenches aren't worth risking that."

After a pause, Tapp told them, "But it's not either of them that caught my eye. It was the third woman that got me hard. I think she's the maid for Mistress Tavington or something."

"Oh, I know you'll never get anywhere with_ that_ one," Sanders told him confidently. "Waters has been trying to roger her for months and hasn't gotten anywhere with her. He said she's an ice queen."

"Are you comparing me with that bumbling fool, Waters?" Tapp demanded. "Don't make me laugh. I don't think that man even knows what to do with his yard." Giving the two corporals a serious look, he asserted, "Trust me, I'll thaw that ice queen out and will be taking her to bed in no time, mark my words."

"Want to make a bet on that?" Sanders challenged, laughing.

"Did I hear someone say something about a bet?" The three men turned around to see Colonel Banastre Tarleton approaching them.

"Yes, sir," Sanders said to the dragoon officer. "We're betting that Tapp can't seduce that maid of Mistress Tavington's."

"Is that so?" Tarleton said, chuckling. "Perhaps you shouldn't be so quick to bet against him. I've heard that Sergeant Major Tapp has quite the reputation with the ladies, you know."

"See?" Tapp said. "Even the Colonel knows I'm right." After a pause, he asked Tarleton, "Sir, do you know her name? I suppose if I'm going to take her to bed, I ought to know her name."

"It's Ruth," Tarleton said, "Ruth Moore." Noticing that Tapp's pale blue eyes had taken on a predatory gleam, Tarleton rolled his eyes and said in a low voice, "God help her."

Tapp grinned fiercely, then said, "So, what can I do for you Colonel? I'm guessing you didn't come down to my humble tent just to bet on whether or not I can bed a particular woman."

"No I didn't, though I never can pass up a good bet," Tarleton said. "I came to see if you could lend me some blunt. There's a big card game going on in the officer's mess tonight and I don't want to miss it."

"Of course, Colonel," Tapp said with wolfish smirk. "The usual amount?"

The younger man owed Tapp a great deal of money already, what with all the interest. Tapp did not intend to demand repayment of all the money at once, as having Tarleton in debt to him was a good insurance policy should he ever got into a tight scrape that he needed help getting out of.

"Yes, Sergeant," Tarleton said. "I have a feeling I'm going to win tonight."

Tapp had to resist rolling his eyes at Tarleton, as this is what he said every time he came begging for money and rarely did the man win like he thought he was going to.

Disappearing into his tent for a moment, he returned shortly and handed Tarleton a small bag full of coins. "There you go, sir. Good luck."

After taking the money from Tapp, Tarleton pointed off to the left in the direction of the carriage house. Ruth was standing at the top of the steps to Bordon's quarters trying to manage a very large basket of laundry.

"Look, there's Ruth now," Tarleton told the Sergeant. "And she's by herself.. Perfect time to start wooing her. Go get her, Tapp!"

"I believe I will, Colonel," Marcus Tapp said, loping off toward his quarry.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Ruth Moore grumbled to herself after she'd closed the door leaving the Bordons' quarters, lugging a heavy basket of their dirty laundry. She couldn't understand why Mary Bordon could not get her own servant to handle her laundry, as Ruth had enough to do working for the Tavingtons, and would have even more once the baby came.

The young woman didn't mind helping out now and then, but Mary Bordon was beginning to act as if Ruth worked for her as well, and didn't even pay her for the work she did. It didn't help matters any that Miss Charlotte couldn't see that Mary Bordon was taking advantage of her and made no moves put a stop to it. Neither woman considered that Ruth might want a little time to herself now and then.

She knew she was fortunate compared to a lot of servants, many of whom were beaten and sometimes ravished by their employers, as well as being overworked. But she dearly wished that Mary Bordon would stop being such a miser and hire her own servant.

Sighing, she lifted the heavy basket higher and prepared to carefully make her way down the stairs. As she brought her foot down on the first step, the load shifted and the basket wrenched out of her hands, tumbling down the steps, bouncing twice before it came a stop at the bottom. The basket had flung clothing with each bounce, with most of it lying on the ground near the basket.

"Oh bloody hell, this is all I need," she complained under her breath, lest Mary Bordon hear her and come out to see the mess and give her a tongue lashing for being "careless".

Hurrying down the steps with her head down to pick up all the scattered clothing, she ran headlong into someone coming up the path between the tent encampment and the main stables.

"Oh, excuse me," she said, then looked up to see Marcus Tapp looking down at her with a lopsided grin. Blushing furiously to see the handsome dragoon so up close and personal, she stammered, "I wasn't looking where I was going."

Steadying Ruth with both hands, Tapp held on to her elbows slightly longer than was necessary. His pale blue eyes twinkling, he murmured, "Quite all right. It's never a bother to meet such a lovely lady as you."

As Ruth blushed even deeper, the tall dragoon released her and said, "Here, let me help you pick these clothes up. It will go quicker that way."

"Oh, thank you," she said, as she righted the basket and began re-depositing clothing into it. "I wouldn't want Mistress Bordon to come out and see this, then scold me for being careless."

"I'm sure you were quite careful," he told her sympathetically "That's a heavy load of clothes and those are steep steps."

Smiling up at Tapp, whose pale blue eyes held her sea green ones, Ruth extended a hand and said, "I'm Ruth Moore. I'm Mistress Tavington's maid."

"Sergeant Major Marcus Tapp at your service, Miss Moore," Tapp rumbled in his deep voice, sweeping his dragoon helmet from his head. "I'm quite pleased to meet you."

"I'm glad to meet you as well, Sergeant Major Tapp," Ruth said, unable to repress a wide smile. She was certain that Marcus Tapp could hear her heart beating wildly in her chest.

"Call me Marcus, please," he said, taking her hand to shake, lifting it to his lips to kiss briefly, before releasing it.

"And you must call me Ruth, then," she replied, with a barely audible sigh.

Noting her flustered reaction to him, Tapp thought to himself, "_This is going to be the easiest bet I ever won. I probably could take her up against the wall right now if I wanted." _Shaking off his urge to do just that, he knew that treating her like a lady rather than like a whore would be more beneficial to him in the long run. She was attractive and seemed amiable, plus she was close to the Tavingtons, so Tapp knew that cultivating an ongoing relationship with her would be to his advantage, both personally and professionally.

"Here, let me take that," he said, as Ruth bent to pick up the refilled laundry basket. "That's too heavy for you to carry."

"I can manage, really," she said, laughing. "I do it all the time."

"I insist," he said. "Let me relieve your burden for awhile."

"All right, then," she said, smiling shyly up at him. "Thank you. I'd appreciate the company, actually."

As the two walked over to where the camp laundresses did the laundry, Ruth told him, "Mistress Tavington, Mistress Bordon and I watched you conduct sabre practice today. I must say that you were most impressive." Not waiting for his reply, she added, "And Miss Charlotte mentioned to me that you were recently promoted to Sergeant Major. Congratulations!"

"Thank you," he said, realizing she'd already had an interest in him before they'd met. "So, how long have you worked for the Tavingtons?"

"I've been with Mistress Tavington for eight years now," she told him. "Five years indentured, and working for wages for three."

"You must have liked her to stay on after your indenture was finished," Tapp guessed. "My father also came to America under indenture, but he was kidnapped off the streets of London when he was just a lad of nine. He couldn't wait to get away from his master when his time was up, but he had to wait until he was twenty-one."

"Oh, how horrible!" Ruth said fervently. "It wasn't that way for me at all. I wanted to see America and the only way I could afford to come was to indenture myself. I'm from Liverpool and I came over when I was twenty."

"You took a big chance," he told her. "You're lucky you didn't end up with someone who treated you worse than a slave."

"That I am," she readily agreed. "Miss Charlotte has been good to me; even taught me to read and write when I first came to her."

"I was lucky that my mother knew how to read a little," he said. "She taught me my letters at least, and I learned the rest on my own over the years."

"Are your parents still alive?" she asked. "I've only my Mum now, but I've not seen her since I left England.

"My mother died several years ago and I don't know about my father, as he ran off from us when I was ten years old," Tapp told her, trying to sound indifferent.

They fell silent then because they'd come within earshot of the laundresses who exchanged knowing glances at the sight of this rather odd couple. Tapp's reputation with women was well known in the camp and they figured Ruth had to be his latest conquest, as there was no way he'd be carrying laundry for her otherwise.

After they'd left the laundry area, Tapp asked, "Would you like to take a walk around the fort? The weather's nice and there's a full moon out tonight.'

Looking up at him with a shy smile, she said, "Yes, I would. Very much."

Tapp extended an arm to her and they walked off together into the sunset.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

**Several days previously**

After Benjamin Martin, along with his men, had finished the grim task of digging and filling the graves for the townspeople of Pembroke, he went to sit on a tree stump a short distance from the cemetery. There had been only two ready-made coffins in town, plus enough wood to throw together ten more makeshift caskets, so they'd had to bury the rest wrapped up in blankets, with Ben making sure that Gabriel and Anne got to rest together.

Despite the moderate temperature, he broke out into a cold sweat and began to shiver as watched the men collect their shovels. As he stood to help them, he swayed, suddenly dizzy and unsteady on his feet, barely making it back to the stump.

"Are you all right?" Reverend Oliver asked in dismay, after having noticed Martin's unsteadiness. He noticed sweat beading off Martin's forehead, yet he shivered as if he were cold. "You look as white as a sheet."

"To tell you the truth, I don't feel so well," Martin admitted. "I vomited when I went to the privy awhile ago, but I didn't think anything of it. I thought it was a natural reaction to what's happened today." Before he could say more, he began emitting a dry, hacking cough.

"I think you need to get to bed," Oliver decided. "You're probably coming down with some illness." Looking around at all the now-vacant houses, he added, "And you should be in a real bed and not try to ride all the way back to camp. Which house do you want to use?"

Ben shuddered for a moment at the thought of staying in what was now a ghost town, but he knew the Reverend was right. Pointing off to the right, he said, "Over there, where Mrs Howard's sister lived. It's the biggest house in town and I'm sure she would have wanted me to use it."

He tried to stand again, but for a second time, he swayed, then stumbled.

"Let me give you a hand," Oliver said, motioning to Billings to help.

A short time later, after Ben Martin had eased himself into a bed in what must have been Mrs Howard's room, Oliver turned to Billings and said in a low voice, "Go to the next town and find a doctor. I think Ben might have malaria. I've seen it before and how he's feeling pretty well matches it."

"All right," Billings said, "I'm going."

"You might want to stop and bring your wife and boy," Oliver said, knowing that Billings' small farm was not too far from the next nearest town. "There are plenty of houses available for them to stay in, at least."

After Billings had left, Ben said to the Reverend, "Tell the men to go home and tend to their families and to report back here in two weeks. It's obvious I can't lead the men into battle if I'm sick."

"I think that's a wise decision," Oliver said. "But Billings and I will stay here with you until you get better."

"I can't argue with that," Martin said wearily.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"I enjoyed walking with you tonight, Marcus," Ruth said shyly, looking up into Tapp's eyes, as they stood at the bottom of the stairs to the main mansion. "You're so easy to talk to."

"As are you," he said, smiling down at her. "I'd be pleased if you would take supper with me tomorrow night."

"Oh, I'd love to!" she said, smiling with happiness.

"At six then?" he said.

"Six it is," she agreed. "Well, I suppose I must say goodnight, now."

Marcus Tapp moved closer to Ruth, then bent his head and captured her lips in a brief, but searching kiss.

As she felt his hands at her waist and his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth, Ruth went weak into the knees with desire. All too soon, however, it was over and Tapp turned on his heel to leave.

"Until tomorrow, then," he called back over his shoulder.

Ruth stood there for a long moment watching Tapp amble toward the tent encampment before going up the stairs into the mansion. She couldn't wait to tell Miss Charlotte about meeting Marcus Tapp.

Almost floating up the stairs, she knocked on the door to the Tavingtons' quarters a few moments later, hoping that Charlotte was alone and they could talk.

"I just came by to see if you needed anything before I went to bed," Ruth explained after Charlotte opened the door and let her in. Looking around and seeing no evidence of the Colonel being in residence, she continued, "And I have some good news if you have time to talk."

"Oh?" Charlotte said. "Do tell. I love hearing good news. William is off at yet another meeting and I could use the company."

Seating herself on the sofa next to Charlotte, she confided, "I met Marcus Tapp tonight. I dropped the Bordons' laundry basket on the stairs and I literally ran into him when I went downstairs to pick it all up. He just happened to be passing by when I made a fool out of myself dropping the basket."

"Oh, my, you must have been mortified to meet him under such conditions," Charlotte guessed.

"I was at first," she admitted. "But I forgot to be embarrassed as soon as I'd looked into his eyes." She sighed dreamily. "His eyes are the most amazing pale shade of blue." After a moment, she continued, "And would you believe that he helped me pick up the clothes, then carried the basket for me to the laundresses? He said it was too heavy for me to carry!"

"That does sound rather promising," Charlotte said.

"After we dropped off the laundry, we went on a long walk around the fort talking about all sorts of things," she reported. "He's so easy to talk to . It's almost like I've always known him." After a pause, she added, "And he even kissed me goodnight. A real kiss; not just a peck on the cheek."

"I'm so happy for you!" Charlotte said, smiling. "When will you see him again?"

"Tomorrow evening for supper," she said. "I can hardly wait."

"You must wear your good gown," Charlotte decided. "And your new cap, I'm thinking."

Before Ruth could reply, the door opened to admit William Tavington, who placed his helmet on a side table beside the door.

"Good evening, ladies," Tavington said smoothly, taking a chair opposite the sofa. Noticing the glowing expression on Ruth's face, he observed, "Ruth looks as if she's just been made Queen."

"Ruth has a new suitor," Charlotte told her husband, beaming. "She's quite taken with him."

"Oh?" Tavington said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Is it anyone I know? Weren't you keeping company with that Sergeant…Waters, wasn't it?"

"It's not him," Charlotte said, with a dismissive wave of the hand. "She stopped seeing him a couple of weeks ago."

"You'll excuse me for not keeping up," Tavington said chuckling. "I have been rather busy as of late, you know." After a beat, he asked, "So, who is it?"

"It's Sergeant Major Tapp," Ruth said, unable to keep a big grin off her face at the mention of his name. "We went for a walk together this evening and we're having dinner together tomorrow."

Tavington almost swallowed his tongue at the mention of Marcus Tapp and did start to cough. When he recovered, he told Ruth, "I think you should reconsider. Marcus Tapp isn't a proper suitor for you, Ruth."

"Why ever not?" Ruth demanded hotly. "I enjoy being with him and he's acted like a perfect gentleman."

"I thought he'd be a good choice for Ruth," Charlotte put in. "You obviously have confidence in him, William, as you promoted him to Sergeant Major."

Tavington coughed again at the notion of Tapp being anything like a gentleman. After a pause to consider his words, he said, "Well, yes, he's a very good soldier; one of my best men, in fact. But a good soldier does not always make a good husband."

"What makes you think he wouldn't be a good husband?" Ruth asked, confused.

"Let me see how I can put this…" Tavington considered. "I assume that both you ladies are aware of Colonel Tarleton's reputation with the ladies?"

Both women rolled their eyes at the mention of Banastre Tarleton. "Oh, yes," Charlotte said. "He flits from woman to woman like a honeybee does with flowers."

"Let us just say that Sergeant Major Tapp makes Colonel Tarleton look like a papist monk," Tavington said dryly. "The man is a libertine."

"Perhaps he simply hasn't met the right woman yet," Ruth insisted. "I'm thinking I might just be that right woman that would make him want to settle down and have a family."

"I see that I cannot dissuade you," Tavington said wearily, wanting to roll his eyes at the young woman's naïveté. "But do not say that I didn't warn you when he breaks your heart."

"I suppose this is something we'll have to agree to disagree about," Ruth said quietly. Rising from her seat, she said, "It's getting late and it's time for me to go to bed. Good night."

And with that, Ruth swept from the room, more determined than ever to see Marcus Tapp.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_**Historical note**: Men of William Tavington's class commonly referred to Catholics as "papists" during that time._


	44. Tapp's Seduction

After Ruth had left the Tavingtons' quarters, Charlotte turned to Tavington and said, unnecessarily, "You upset her."

"I'm sorry, but it couldn't be helped," Tavington said firmly. "I would be remiss if I had not given her my honest opinion of the match."

"I suppose you're right," Charlotte replied, heaving a sigh. "I know you have her best interests at heart."

"Of course, I do," he assured her. "Ruth has been a good servant to you and it's only right that I would seek to protect her."

"Is Sergeant Major Tapp that bad?" Charlotte asked. "Surely you would not have promoted him if he were entirely dissipated."

"No, he's not entirely dissolute," Tavington agreed "But I believe I can safely assume that Ruth is rather naïve and has little experience with men?"

"That's right," Charlotte confirmed. "I've been despairing of her ever getting married, actually. That's why I'd encouraged her when she showed interest in Sergeant Tapp."

"She could not handle someone like Tapp," Tavington asserted confidently. "He's a hard, cynical man who has seen and participated in some of the worst things in his life as a mercenary soldier, a sheriff, and now as a dragoon. Some of the less...savoury…things my dragoons have been obliged to do in the service of winning this war have been carried out under his direction. A more worldly and, shall we say, jaded woman would be more suited to Tapp, as such a woman could hold her own with him. But he'd take advantage of a sweet, naïve young woman like Ruth. He'd eat her alive."

"Oh, I'm so sorry I encouraged her, William," Charlotte said helplessly. "I simply did not know."

"That's all right, my dear," he said, leaning over to catch her mouth in a passionate kiss. "You meant well." After kissing her again, he added, "I gave her my best warning, but there's really little we can do if she chooses not to heed our advice, as she is a grown woman, after all."

"I still can't help but worry about her," Charlotte insisted, sighing.

"Don't think of it any longer tonight," Tavington said, his hands pulling the pins from her bodice. "We certainly have better things to do at the moment."

"Oh my, yes," Charlotte agreed, feverishly working the buttons on Tavington's breeches.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

James and Mary Bordon reclined side by side, panting with the aftermath of their lovemaking.

Snuggling close to her husband, Mary said, "I hope we just made a baby, even though I just finished my courses,"

"You never know," Bordon replied, sighing. "It will happen when we least expect it, I'd imagine."

After a long pause, Mary timidly asked, "James, if we don't ever conceive, would you, could you ever consider adopting a child?"

"I don't know, Mary," Bordon replied, frowning. "I've never thought of such a thing before."

"All I ask is that you think about it," Mary asked him. "With any luck, it won't come to that and we'll have our own baby. But if it doesn't, I'm quite open to adopting a child."

Rolling over to take her into his arms, Bordon murmured, "Why don't we have another go at making one of our own? Likely as not, you are worrying needlessly."

Mary didn't say anything, but merely leaned into her husband's eager embrace.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Marcus Tapp was content and satisfied as he walked back to his tent after leaving Ruth at the mansion. He'd made good progress in his campaign to seduce her, knowing his chances of success were greater if he took it slowly.

As he was about to enter his tent, he changed his mind and continued on to the row of tents where the camp whores plied their trade. He'd become aroused when kissing Ruth and, as a result, was now feeling restless. Tapp knew that a visit to the whores' tents would quickly take care of that particular problem.

About a half hour later, as he stepped out of Molly's tent, he met Banastre Tarleton coming out of Rachel's tent.

"Tapp!" Tarleton called out. "I didn't expect to see you down here tonight. I take it that you didn't win the bet?"

"I wouldn't say that," Tapp replied, hiding his irritation. "The terms of the bet did not specify that I had to fulfil the terms of the bet this very evening, if you recall." After a beat, he shot back, "And as far as that goes, can I assume that your presence here means that you did not win at cards? Sir?"

"That's true enough about the bet," Tarleton conceded. "But the game has yet to begin. I'm not due in the officer's mess for at least forty-five minutes yet."

"Did I hear something about a bet?" Molly popped her head out of her tent, having slipped on a shortgown and petticoat over her shift.

"Trust Molly to always have her ears open," Tapp said, chuckling. "Never misses a thing, that one."

"Tapp has made a bet that he can get under the skirts of Mistress Tavington's maid, Ruth," Ban told her.

"Ruth?" Molly laughed scornfully. "That one has a stick so far up her arse, I doubt if there's room for anything else up there." Patting Tapp's crotch in a familiar gesture, she added, "But if anyone can do it, Tapp here can."

"That's what I told the two corporals," Tarleton said. "I think you'd be safe to bet on him."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Dan Scott was almost glad that Ben Martin had contracted malaria. They'd been out fighting for nearly two months straight and he'd not had the chance to visit his wife on their small farm in all that time. He was tired and dirty, and simply wanted a chance to return to the slower pace of farm life for awhile. Scott hoped he'd have the time to salvage what he could of his crops and perhaps even try to start on a baby with his wife, Rachel.

He whistled a happy tune as he turned his horse down the familiar narrow path that led to his small farm. The stocky man looked forward to when this terrible war was finally over and he could resume his life as a farmer and to hopefully raise a family.

As he rode further into the words, he caught a faint whiff of smoke, which became stronger with every step his horse took. Alarmed, he spurred his horse, when he noticed broken branches along the way as well as many hoof prints in the mud.

Scott brought his horse to a skidding stop when the trees gave way to the clearing where his farm stood. Or, rather, where it once stood. The partisan sat on his horse slack jawed for a long moment, his mind not quite able to register what his eyes were telling him. The farmhouse that he'd so painstakingly built shortly after his marriage to Rachel was now a pile of charred lumber, as was the barn and other outbuildings. The animals were gone and the crops were trampled down in the fields.

He saw no signs of a struggle, but there was no sign of his wife, Rachel, either.

"Rachel!" Scott jumped off his horse and ran to the wreckage of their home, hoping not to find her body there. He scrabbled frantically through the rubble, but soon realized that she was not there, to his great relief. He repeated his search in all the outbuildings, after which it became obvious to him that she'd either escaped or had been taken prisoner.

Running into the woods, he called his wife's name repeatedly, thinking she might have run to hide there when she'd heard his horse approaching.

After about an hour of searching for her he gave up, finally coming to the conclusion that she was no longer in the area.

Returning to his horse, he decided to ride to the next nearest farm to see if she'd maybe taken refuge with the neighbours. The Billings farm was about six miles further upcountry, so he spurred his horse, not once looking back at his ruined homestead.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Two days later, Ruth sat with Charlotte Tavington and Mary Bordon in the Tavingtons' quarters for another round making clothes for Miss Charlotte's baby. At the rate they'd been sewing recently, the child would be well outfitted for the first three years of its life.

She worked mostly silently as the two women chatted animatedly around her, her mind busy reliving her evening with Marcus Tapp the night before. Instead of eating with the other men, they'd taken their plates to a grassy area near where he had conducted sabre practice. They'd sat under a large oak tree displaying autumn leaves to enjoy their meal.

After their meal, they'd had a long talk, sharing more things about the lives they'd led before the war and what they hoped to do after it was all over. Tapp had told her that he planned to return to his previous occupation as a sheriff, though he wasn't sure just where he'd be doing that. This had pleased her, as she knew he'd be in a responsible position and be well able to support a wife and children.

She'd been more vague about what she wanted to do after the war, not wanting to come on too strongly at first about her desire for marriage and children. Nearly every woman wanted this out of life, so Ruth saw no need to specifically mention it.

Ruth had worn her best gown and new cap, which had elicited the desired reaction from Marcus. She could tell from the look on his face that he'd found her as comely as she found him handsome. His hair had been bound in a new queue ribbon and he'd smelled faintly of bay rum, so she knew he'd taken some pains with his own appearance for her, despite the limitations of his uniform, which at least looked as if it had been freshly pressed.

As before, she'd felt entirely at home with Marcus, even to the point of leaning back against his chest, his hands loosely around her waist as he reclined against the tree, while they enjoyed the evening together.

Ruth had been completely content in this position, with Marcus' strong arms about her. They'd fallen silent for a time, each simply enjoying the other's presence. She nearly sighed as she remembered when Marcus had brought one of his hands up to her face and gently turned her head toward his for a long, searching kiss. They'd spent several long minutes kissing, which had left Ruth helpless with desire for this man She actually did sigh at the memory of this, not knowing what they might have ended up doing if Marcus had not been called away at this point to deal with a squabble among the men.

"Ruth." Charlotte said softly.

Ruth was still in her reverie and did not reply

"Ruth!" the other woman repeated, more insistently this time.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ruth said, the daydream imploding in her mind at the interruption. "My mind was elsewhere."

Charlotte and Mary exchanged knowing glances, then Charlotte said, "I'll say you were! I was asking you to pass the thread."

The young woman reached down and quickly passed the asked-for item to the other woman. "I'm sorry," she apologized again. "I just can't stop thinking about Marcus."

"Mistress Bordon and I really think you're making a big mistake to continue seeing Sergeant Major Tapp," Charlotte told her in an unctuous tone. "After what William and Captain Bordon have told us about him, we really think he is really most unsuitable for you."

"You don't know him like I do," Ruth said quietly. "He's good to me and I feel happy when I'm with him. He's really a good man, if you'd just give him a chance."

"Don't be so naïve, Ruth," Mary said haughtily. "You barely know the man. You are not qualified to judge him after only a few days acquaintance."

"Begging your pardon, Mistress," Ruth replied stoutly. "But in that case, then neither are you and Mistress Tavington, as you both know only what you've been told."

"For heaven's sake, Ruth!" Charlotte said, her voice betraying exasperation. "Both Mary and I have been married twice and we certainly know more about men and what motivates them than do you."

Noting Ruth's crushed expression, she added in a softer tone, "We're only looking out for your best welfare, Ruth. Surely you should heed our advice and take the benefit of our greater experience."

Biting back her instinctive retort, Ruth merely said, "I need to finish this seam."

She bent to her work and didn't say another word, but she was seething inside. The young woman could not wait to find Marcus at dinnertime and tell him about what had happened.

Time dragged by and when it was finally time for the evening meal, Ruth left the Tavingtons' quarters like a shot, wanting to get away from the two women as quickly as possible. It had taken all her self control to keep from saying something to them that she knew she'd later regret.

Ruth hastened down the path to Marcus' tent, where they'd planned to meet. Not seeing him outside, she banged on the tent pole, hoping she wasn't too early.

She was in luck. Tapp appeared almost instantly from inside the tent.

"What is it, Ruth?" Marcus Tapp asked, noting that she was red-faced and out of breath. "Come inside and tell me what's wrong."

"It's Mistress Tavington and Mistress Bordon," Ruth replied, as she entered the tent. She was so focussed on what she had to say that she did not notice Tapp tying closed the entrance to the tent, "They are both trying to dissuade me from seeing you."

"Oh?" Tapp said, both annoyed and amused at the same time. If those women thought that they could keep him from Ruth, then they had another thing coming.

"They're trying to tell me that I don't know my own mind; that you're not good enough for me," she reported hotly. "How dare they? They think I'm simple because I don't come from money like they do!"

Taking her into his arms, Tapp bent his head and kissed her thoroughly for a long interval, with one hand gently rubbing her back.

He led her over to his cot, where they sat down, with Ruth barely noticing, so intent was she on his kisses.

Within a few minutes, they finally came up for air. "It's really disgusting how our so-called 'betters' always think they know better than us on how to conduct our own lives," Tapp muttered, sneering. "No matter how well some of them might treat those of us in the ranks, they always think they're better than us."

Ruth nodded in agreement, knowing that Tapp knew of what he spoke.

"Sergeants run the army, you know," Tapp asserted. "Without us to keep order and to keep the men motivated, the army wouldn't function."

"I'm sure you're right," Ruth agreed meekly, now rubbing his back as well.

"I'm quite pleased that you don't have any intention of heeding their words," he murmured as he leaned in for another kiss.

"I'm a grown woman and I know what I want," she said quietly, but firmly, taking his face in both hands as she looked intently into his eyes. "And I want you."

Tapp smiled at this, knowing the perfect opportunity had arrived to make good on his bet. As they continued to kiss, his hand began to stray, coming around to slip inside the top of her gown's bodice to feel the mounds of her full breasts pushed up by her stays.

When Ruth didn't push him away, he worked the front of her bodice loose. It was closed with hooks and eyes, so he slowly worked the hooks free, one by one.

It was only when her bodice was gaping completely open and Tapp was working on the laces to her stays that Ruth noticed what he was doing and broke their kiss. Her hands flew up to cover his, as she whispered, "What are you doing?"

Pausing for a moment, but not removing his hands, he kissed her ear, his tongue darting inside for a moment, which elicited a soft moan from her.

"I think you know what I'm doing," he rumbled. "You want me and I want you."

"Please," she murmured, knowing what she wanted, but not knowing whether she should indulge in her desires. "I've never done this before."

"I know," he said, smiling down at her before leaning in to kiss the tip of her nose. "I won't hurt you, and I promise to be gentle. I just want you so much that I can't resist."

"I don't know if I should…" she said, her resistance wavering.

"It's the most natural thing in the world for us to do," he persisted before bending to take one of her nipples into his mouth.

"Ohh, Marcus," she moaned as the sensation of his tongue on her nipple generated a responding throb between her legs. As she turned to putty in his arms, Tapp took this as consent and continued to unlace her stays. Once done, he lifted both breasts above the loose neckline of her shift, then swirled his tongue over each breast in turn.

"Touch me," he murmured, taking her hand and pressing it down on his erection, which was plainly evident, even through his breeches.

Ruth inhaled sharply as she felt the size of him through his clothing, wondering how such a thing could fit inside of her. She allowed him to ease her down on the cot, then felt his hand pulling her petticoats and the bottom of her shift up to her waist. Because of the chill in the air, he did not undress her completely.

Breaking away from her reluctantly, he moved to quickly shed his boots and breeches.

Ruth shivered slightly at the cool evening air on her exposed legs. "It's cold in here, Marcus."

"Patience, my dear," he replied smoothly, easing himself down to cover her body with his own. "I'll have you plenty warm in a just a few moments."

Ruth's arms wrapped around him, as his hand slipped between her legs, where he found her wet and ready for him.

She jumped in surprise when Tapp's finger brushed against the sensitive core of her womanhood. "Oh!"

"Like that, hmm?" Tapp purred, his finger stroking it more ardently now.

"Oh, yes, Marcus!" she moaned, wriggling beneath his questing finger. "Don't stop, please. It feels wonderful!"

Tapp chuckled lowly, as he obeyed her without question. As she continued to writhe and moan under his tender ministrations, his own arousal heightened painfully. He increased his speed, now more than ready to enter her.

It didn't take long. Within moments, Ruth stiffened and arched her back as she came under Tapp's fingers. "Marcus! Marcus! Marcus! It's so good!"

As he sensed her climax begin to subside, he didn't waste any time. Nudging her legs further apart, he positioned himself and pushed carefully inside of her, knowing she was a virgin.

Ruth stiffened slightly at the momentary twinge of discomfort as he breached her maidenhead and looked up at Tapp in alarm.

"Shh, it's alright, love," Tapp told her. "It's always a bit painful the first time a woman is with a man. Trust me, it will ease soon and it won't happen the next time." He remained still inside her, waiting for her to adjust to him.

Ruth relaxed somewhat, having heard this very same thing when talking with the other maids about sex. "I'm all right, Marcus," she whispered, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

He took her at her word and began to move inside her, at first slowly, then faster as she began to instinctively thrust back at him.

Soon, Tapp felt Ruth lift her legs and wrap them around his waist, which allowed him deeper penetration. As his thrusts became increasingly faster and harder, he buried his face to nip gently at her neck and mouth, spurred on by her sighs and moans of pleasure.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Freeman and Sanders had come by Tapp's tent to eat their suppers with him, but when they saw the entrance to his tent tied up, they knew he wasn't alone. As they were about to turn away and return to their own tents, they heard Ruth calling out Tapp's name in passion several times. They repressed the urge to hoot and catcall, however, knowing that Tapp would kick their arses later if they'd been so foolish as to ruin one of his seductions.

Walking away, Sanders said to Freeman, "Well, I suppose that's one bet that we've just lost."

"I'm afraid you're right, old man," Freeman replied ruefully.

Back inside the tent, Ruth moaned, "It's happening again, Marcus! Move faster!"

As Ruth began to move her head from side to side indicating the immanent approach of her second orgasm, Tapp bore down on her, as his own climax was rapidly drawing near.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh, Marcus!" she cried as her climax washed over her, just before she felt him throb within her as he released his seed deep inside of her.

Some of Tapp's hair had come loose from his queue as he looked down on Ruth's contented face in the afterglow of orgasm, tickling her. They both panted raggedly from their efforts, and he remained motionless inside of her as their breathing returned to normal.

"That was wonderful, Marcus," Ruth murmured. "I had no idea it would be this good."

"I aim to please," he rumbled, having greatly enjoyed coupling with Ruth, himself. Despite being a virgin, she had taken to the act like a duck to water and he looked forward to rogering her again, soon and often.

After another moment, Tapp rolled off her, then got up to soak a clean rag with water from his canteen. Handing it to Ruth wordlessly, he soaked another rag, then cleaned himself off before pulling his breeches back on and buttoning them.

A few minutes later, after Ruth had straightened her clothing, she said awkwardly, "I suppose I should go back to my quarters now."

"We haven't had our suppers, yet," Tapp pointed out. "Let me get us each a plate, then I'll walk you back there."

"All right," she said, giggling. "I do have quite an appetite, actually."

Tapp laughed, then said, "It isn't any wonder."

A half hour later, the couple walked back up the path to the main mansion, where she led him to a nondescript door at the back of the structure, which faced the stables.

"This leads to the servants' stairway," she explained as they went through the door.

After climbing the narrow stairway to the third floor, she led him to the first door on the left.

"Would you like to come in?" she asked. "It's not much, but I've got it all to myself."

They entered the cramped room, which boasted a single window. There wasn't much inside: her bed, a dresser, a single chair, and a trunk. There were several pegs on the wall opposite her bed, from which hung her clothing.

Tapp looked down at the bed, which was a bit wider than his cot and looked more comfortable as well.

Following his gaze, Ruth murmured, "Would you like to spend the night? I would like to see how it is doing it without any clothes on."

With a feral grin, Tapp took her into his arms once again. "It would be my pleasure."


	45. Dissension

_**Thanks to LovesHistory for the inspiration for the opening encounter between James Bordon and Marcus Tapp**_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Shortly after dawn the next morning, Marcus Tapp left Ruth's quarters to go by his tent to wash and shave before reporting for duty for the day. He was worn out, having slept no more than an hour the previous night, as he'd spent most of the night initiating Ruth into the various pleasures of sexual congress. She'd proven to be an apt student and Tapp had rogered her several times before they'd both finally succumbed to slumber, still entwined together.

But it was satisfying kind of tired, he thought as he shambled down the stairs to go outside. Yawning like a tiger who'd just eaten its fill, he stepped outside into the cold morning air. As he paused at the top of the steps leading down into the yard, he spied Captain Bordon striding purposefully up toward the big house from the direction of the stables.

Grinning lazily at the red-haired officer as he swaggered proudly down the steps, Tapp drawled, "Mornin', Captain. Fine day, isn't it?"

Bordon pointedly ignored the Sergeant Major, continuing on his way without breaking stride. As he passed the dragoon on the path, he curled his lip in scornful disgust, as the yet-unwashed Tapp reeked strongly of recent sexual activity.

Marcus Tapp glared malevolently at the retreating James Bordon with utter loathing.

"Think you're too good to speak to the likes of me, do you?" he muttered, not loud enough for the officer to hear. "You fucking bastard."

Turning away, he soon forgot about Bordon's snub as he headed back to his tent. A tight grin appeared on his face as he remembered he'd just won his bet and it was time to collect..

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Twenty minutes later, James Bordon was heading back to his quarters after a short meeting with Colonel Tavington and the Lord General. They were to head out within the hour to resume the mission cut short by Charlotte Tavington's near-rape, namely, that of locating and destroying the homesteads of Benjamin Martin's men.

Bordon was more than ready to spend some time away from the fort. Mary had recently become obsessed with the notion of getting pregnant as soon as possible. The more time that had passed without her conceiving, the more fixated she became on it. The captain wanted an heir, but he was not yet alarmed by her current failure to conceive. After all, they'd been married only for a few months. He knew that Mary was thinking of the long fruitless years trying to conceive with her first husband, but he reasoned that a child would come in its own good time.

In the meantime, his days spent with Mary at the fort had taken on a tense note. Lovemaking was no longer spontaneous, but had become a grim task with the sole purpose of getting her pregnant. This had taken much of the joy out of the act for him and he was finding it increasingly harder to perform on command.

As he climbed the steps to their quarters, he thought that several days apart would perhaps cut some of the tension and that he would be eager to lie with her once again upon his return.

Just before opening the door to his quarters, he noticed Marcus Tapp out in front of his tent with a couple of his toadying cronies. He frowned, reminded of seeing the arrogant Sergeant Major earlier that morning leaving Ruth's quarters.

He was still frowning as he walked inside, where he found Mary setting out breakfast for him and Susan.

"What's wrong, James?" Mary asked as they sat down together. "Did the Lord General have bad news?"

"No, the meeting was fairly routine," Bordon told her. "We're going back on patrol, just as I thought we'd be doing."

"Then what is it?" Mary was puzzled.

"Well, it seems as if the advice you gave to Ruth yesterday fell on deaf ears," Bordon told her. "As I was walking over to the Lord General's office for the meeting, I came upon Marcus Tapp coming out of the door that leads upstairs to the servants' quarters. He was strutting like a peacock and stunk of sex when he passed me. It was rather obvious that he was quite proud of himself and I think he wanted to brag about it to me, but I cut him dead." Shaking his head sadly, he added, "I would have thought Ruth would have had better sense than to allow such a base man to seduce her without the benefit of marriage."

"That's a shame," Mary said. "But I can't that I'm very surprised. The lower sorts have always had the utmost trouble controlling their baser impulses. They rarely, if ever, think of the consequences of their actions or plan for the future. I'm afraid that Ruth has made her bed and now she'll have to lie in it. I tried to help her and give her good advice, but she chose not to listen, so I won't bother any longer."

"I suppose you're right," he said reluctantly. "But it's still a shame."

"Did you tell Colonel Tavington about it?" Mary asked.

"No, I didn't get the chance," her husband replied. "The Lord General was ready to begin the meeting as soon as I arrived and the Colonel stayed to go over some details with him at the end. I will talk about it with him once we're out on patrol, for all the good it will do."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

A little more than an hour later, Charlotte Tavington escorted her husband down to where his men were mounting up and getting ready to head out for several days of patrol. This would be the first time that the Tavingtons would be separated since her recent ordeal.

"Take care of yourself while you're gone," Charlotte said as Tavington bent down to give her a long goodbye kiss. "You know I'll be worrying until I see you coming back through the gates."

"There's no need to worry," he assured her. "It's just a routine patrol and our intelligence says there is little partisan activity in the area at the moment."

"Still, I'll miss you," she said. "It's hard to sleep when you're not in bed lying beside me."

"Promise me you'll get plenty of rest while I'm gone and not overexert yourself," Tavington said as he checked over his horse that the groom had just brought to him.

"I promise, love," Charlotte said quietly. "But I cannot promise that I might not go blind from all the sewing I've been doing lately."

"You're making enough clothes to outfit an entire family of children," he agreed with a lopsided smile "But I expect we'll have several children, so it's all for the good."

Mary Bordon, who'd accompanied her husband as well, was standing close enough to hear Tavington's comment about having several children and momentarily closed her eyes in discomfort. It seemed that everywhere she turned these days, she was reminded of her inability to conceive.

Further back in the column, Ruth Moore had come out to see Marcus Tapp off to battle. She'd heard the news of the dragoons' impending departure while getting her breakfast and had hastened down to say goodbye, hurrying so she'd not miss him.

As she moved rapidly by Charlotte and Mary and their husbands without speaking, the two women turned their heads to watch as she hurried back to where the lower ranks were assembling. As Sergeant Major, Marcus Tapp would ride at the head of all the enlisted men, much in the same way that Tavington led the entire group.

Tapp, who was slinging his bedroll on the back of his saddle as she came up, turned and smiled broadly at her.

"Ruth!" he called. "Coming to see me off, eh?"

"I couldn't let you go without saying goodbye," she said breathlessly. Holding up a small bundle wrapped in a handkerchief, she added, "And I wanted to give you this."

Tapp took the bundle from her and opened it to find some still-warm biscuits inside.

Not waiting for his reply, she explained, "I was in the kitchen getting my own breakfast when I heard the dragoons were going out on patrol, so I took several biscuits for you to eat on the road. I wouldn't want you to go hungry."

"That's very kind of you," he said as he stowed the food inside his haversack. In a lower voice, he added, "But I'll be hungry for something else the entire time I'm gone - hungry for you." The tall dragoon then leaned down to give her a searching, unhurried kiss. "That should give you something to think about while I'm away."

"I'll be waiting here for you when you get back," she murmured, looking up into his face as if to memorize every feature. "Stay safe and come back to me soon."

"Don't worry," he drawled lazily. "I can take care of myself, trust me."

Tapp's eyes travelled and he noticed both the Bordons, along with Charlotte Tavington staring at them with baleful expressions. Staring right back at them, he gave them a defiant grin.

Grabbing Ruth and pulling her hard against him, he murmured into her ear, "They're watching us. Let's give them a good show."

Without turning, Ruth quickly cut her eyes to the right, and saw what Marcus was talking about. She wrapped her arms around him tightly as he gave her another long, passionate kiss.

Reluctantly, he eventually broke the kiss. "If I'd kept that up any longer, I'd have had to take you out behind the shed before getting on my horse."

"I know," Ruth giggled, as she felt the evidence of that pressing against her thigh, even through the cloth of her petticoats.

Noticing the other dragoons mounting up, he gave her another quick kiss, then swung up into the saddle. "I'll see you soon. Keep the bed warm for me."

"I will," she said, smiling up at him..

A moment later, William Tavington raised one gloved hand and gave the signal to move out. All three women, along with several others, stood and watched until the last man had left the fort and the gates had closed behind them.

As soon as the gate had shut behind the departing dragoons, Ruth hurried off back to the kitchen to finish her breakfast, not ready to face any intrusive questions from Miss Charlotte of Mary Bordon this early in the morning. She'd do much better dealing with them once she'd eaten.

Charlotte Tavington and Mary Bordon walked back to the main house together after the men had left.

"I couldn't believe Ruth's behaviour just now," Mary ranted. "Rubbing herself up against that man like a common trollop. Scandalous, I tell you!"

"I am rather disappointed in her," Charlotte admitted. "But, as they say, love is blind. However, I can't attend to that now. It is rather early and I need to lie back down for a few hours. I am sleeping for two, you know." Turning to head up the steps, she added, "We'll get together for tea this afternoon, I promise."

"I'll see you then," Mary said, pressing her lips together tightly at yet another mention of babies.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The dragoon column encountered no resistance as they rapidly made their way northwest.

"I suppose Martin and his men are pausing to lick their wounds after the message we sent in Pembroke," Tavington said casually to Bordon as the column rode down a road bordered by brilliant autumn foliage.

"I've actually heard that Martin has fallen ill," Bordon informed Tavington. "And that he's sent his men home on furlough while he recovers."

"If our luck holds, maybe the bastard will die," Tavington said sourly.

"Perhaps," Bordon said in a noncommittal tone. He fell silent then and did not speak again for several minutes.

"What _is_ it, Bordon?" Tavington asked in irritation several minutes later "Out with it" He'd been riding with the man long enough to know when he had something on his mind.

Bordon had been thinking about Mary's current obsession with getting pregnant, but this was not a topic he cared to share with his commanding officer. Instead, he said, "Did you notice your maid carrying on with Tapp just before we left? I caught him coming out of the servants' entrance this morning stinking of sex."

"Bordon, I really have much more important things to concern myself with than worrying about who is rogering who," Tavington said with impatience. "I have war to win here, you know, in case you'd forgotten." After a moment, he conceded, "Yes, it's a poor choice on her part, but they're both adults free to make their own choices. I warned her about Tapp and she chose not to listen. Whatever consequences may come, they are her responsibility."

"Yes, sir, you're right," Bordon said. "But I just can't help but think of someone like Tapp preying on a daughter of mine. Did you know that he actually bet some of the other men that he could bed her?"

"But Ruth isn't your daughter," Tavington cut in. "Wait until you have one of your own before worrying about men like Tapp. The men bet about everything and I know that Tarleton frequently bets on whether or not he can seduce a particular woman. It's not an unusual thing."

"I still don't like it," Bordon insisted. "It's not a gentlemanly thing to do."

"Most of the men in the ranks are not gentlemen or hadn't you noticed, Bordon?" Tavington told him. "Half of them are thieves and cutthroats." After a pause, he continued, "Now, let us keep our ears and eyes open, as it's quite possible we might encounter some of Martin's men as we raid the homesteads."

Further back in the column, Marcus Tapp reached into his haversack to get the biscuits Ruth had given him. As he opened the handkerchief, he caught a faint reminder of Ruth's personal scent along with the smell of the biscuits. He smiled tightly to himself as he thought of the previous night lying with the eager young woman.

"What do you have there, Sarge?" Freeman said, sniffing as the fragrance of biscuits reached him.

"Payment for services rendered," Tapp replied, grinning evilly. "For a job well done."

"I'm hungry," Sanders whined from the other side. "Let us have one."

After finishing the last bite of the first biscuit, Tapp belched contentedly as he reached for his canteen to wash down the rest of the biscuits with. "Sorry. You miserable bastards will have to find your own food."

"First you get all our money, now you won't share your food," Freeman complained. "That doesn't sound fair to me."

"You should have known better than to bet against me," Tapp said dismissively. "It's your own fault."

"Well, now that you've broken her in, I think I'll try and have a go at her," Sanders said, licking his lips in anticipation. "Does anyone want to bet that I can get her into bed faster than Tapp did?"

Less that two seconds later, Sanders found the point of Tapp's sabre just under his chin, barely registering the metallic sound of it being unsheathed before it was in his face.

"Lay one hand on her and you're dead meat, you misbegotten piece of shit," Marcus Tapp growled, his cold blue eyes glittering. "She's mine until I say otherwise." Pushing the sabre ahead slightly so that it pricked his skin, he demanded, "Do you understand?"

"Yeah, Sarge," Sanders said, carefully guiding his horse away from the angry Sergeant Major. "I wasn't serious, no how. I was just jestin' a bit."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Later that afternoon, Charlotte Tavington joined several other officers' wives for tea. She'd given Ruth the day off, because she planned to spend the entire day in idleness as William had urged her to do. She had also noticed that Ruth had apparently not had much sleep the night before, so she figured the young woman needed the rest as well. Choosing to ignore the obvious reasons why, Charlotte merely told her that they'd been working hard lately and needed a day of rest. As she'd sent Ruth on her way, Charlotte fervently hoped that William would prove to be wrong about Marcus Tapp, after all, and that all would turn out well for Ruth.

She looked forward to gatherings with the other wives mainly because the conversations there helped keep her mind occupied while William was away from the fort, so that she did not spend too much time worrying about him. Some of the other women were long time Army wives and were able to reassure her when she became overly concerned when the men were away. They'd also been a steady rock of support since her attack in Pembroke, with several of them making her new, becoming caps to enjoy while her hair grew back in.

As she walked down the long hallway to the reception room where the women usually gathered, she met Mary Bordon coming in from the outside.

"Just on time," Mary noted, as they continued down the hall together. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did, thank you," Charlotte replied. "I feel refreshed."

"Well, at least we'll have some fresh gossip to share today," Mary said. "No one could have possibly missed Ruth with Marcus Tapp this morning."

Charlotte heaved a theatrical sigh, then said, "I suppose she'll be the talk among the servants in the kitchen, but not among our group I'd wager. The usual thing is for servants to gossip about us, not us gossip about them." After a beat, she continued, "And I really hope that her relationship with Sergeant Major Tapp will turn out to be a happy one, despite William's dire predictions. Ruth deserves it."

"I wouldn't hold out much hope there," Mary said sourly. "From all I've heard from James, Tapp is a dedicated reprobate."

"Well, I'm sure the ladies will have something of interest to talk about," Charlotte said lightly. "They always do."

They could hear the animated chatter of several women even before they entered the room a moment later.

"Oh, Charlotte! Mary!" Nora Byers called out gaily. "You're finally here to hear my good news!"

Seating herself next to the beaming captain's wife, Charlotte smiled. "Do tell. I could stand to hear something good now."

"I just found out today," Nora said. "Rob and I are going to have our first baby! I'm so excited!"

"How delightful! That makes three of us now," Charlotte exclaimed, indicating Lt. Parker's heavily pregnant wife, Abigail seated on the other side of the table.

As the group of women launched into a detailed conversation about babies, Mary Bordon quietly slipped out of the room, unnoticed by the other women.


	46. Heartbreak

**Several weeks later**

Early one cold December morning, Ruth shivered as Marcus slipped naked from under the covers to shave and dress for the day. She stretched and yawned as she avidly watched him dress, then comb out his long dark hair before neatly arranging it into a queue.

As he began to shave in sure, quick strokes, Ruth leaned over the side of the bed and pulled from the floor the shift she'd hastily discarded the night before. She sighed as she continued to watch him go about his morning routine.

Their relationship had proceeded quickly, with him essentially moving in with her after the first week, spending nearly every night with her. Ruth smiled to herself as he donned his bearskin helmet, knowing now that she was hopelessly in love with Marcus Tapp.

The young woman had spent many recent afternoons daydreaming about the wedding she hoped to have with him. Ruth knew it was rather early in their relationship for him to propose, but she could not wait until that day happened.

As she moved to get up, Marcus told her, "Don't get up; you can sleep another hour at least before going up to the Tavingtons. It's still pretty cold out." He walked over to the bed and leaned down to kiss her thoroughly, then murmured, 'I wish I could get back into bed with you and warm you up a bit, but I've got to conduct that damned inspection today. I've heard talk that we'll be sent out before too long to go chase that damned Daniel Morgan."

"I'm not looking forward to leaving the fort," she said. "I quite like it here."

"It'll happen sooner or later," Tapp told her. "Once we push into North Carolina, they'll move us all. And I'm thinking it will be soon. We're overdue for a major battle."

Giving her one last kiss, he said, "Go back to sleep. I'll see you later."

And with no further ado, Marcus Tapp left their cramped quarters and headed down the stairs.

After Tapp left, Ruth snuggled back under the covers, hugging his pillow to herself, while breathing in his scent. It became apparent after a few moments, however, that she wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

William Tavington lingered longer in bed that morning with Charlotte than did Marcus Tapp with Ruth. Such was the privilege of rank. Eventually, however, he rose quite reluctantly from the pleasures of his bed.

"I suppose I should put it in an appearance and get some work today," he said lazily. "I'm quite grateful, however, that the Lord General did not schedule today's meeting until ten."

"Go ahead," she said, as she stood by the side of the bed fastening her dressing gown over her flannel shift. "Ruth will be along shortly to help me dress."

"Perhaps she won't be late this morning," Tavington observed sourly. "You should really reprimand her for being late so often."

"You remember how it was when you and I first got together, don't you?" Charlotte told him, smiling. "As I recall, both of us were late for appointments several times."

"You're much too kind," Tavington growled. "I'd not put up with it for a moment." Softening slightly, he said, "And, yes, I fondly remember those early days together with you."

"As do I," Charlotte murmured. "I'll never forget Ruth walking in on us asleep after the first night we spent together."

Tavington chuckled at the memory, then said, "As much as I hate to go, I dare not be late for the Lord General's meeting. I need to confer with Bordon and Wilkins beforehand, so I'd best get ready to go."

About fifteen minutes later, Tavington left, having promised to meet Charlotte for the noon meal later on.

After he left, Charlotte reclined on the sofa with a Fanny Burney novel as she waited for Ruth to arrive. Time flew by quickly and before she knew it, she'd completed an entire chapter. Looking up at the clock mounted on the wall, she realized that William had been gone for over an hour.

Feeling quite put out by now, she muttered to herself, "Where is that girl? She'd better not be lying in bed with Marcus Tapp!"

Not willing to wait any longer, she went back to the bedroom and threw on a pair of front-lacing jumps over her shift, then slipped on a bed gown and petticoat. After quickly stuffing her feet into a pair of mules, she pulled the door open to the corridor, intent on seeing just what was keeping her maid. She strode quickly down the hallway to find the narrow stairway to the third floor where Ruth's quarters were.

Charlotte mounted the steps slowly, ungainly in pregnancy. She paused for a moment to catch her breath when she reached Ruth's door. Just as she lifted her hand to knock, she heard the unmistakeable sound of retching coming from inside the room.

Not bothering to knock, she rushed in and found Ruth still in her shift, heaving up into the chamber pot The cramped room stank from a mixture of vomit and sex, and the older woman wrinkled her nose in distaste as she stepped inside.

"Are you all right, Ruth?" Charlotte asked her. "I became worried when you never came downstairs."

Looking distinctly green as she glanced up from the pot, Ruth said, "I'm sorry, Miss Charlotte. When I was about to get dressed, I started feeling queasy, so I laid back down for a few minutes to see if that would make me feel better. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've been feeling like this every morning this week so far."

"Oh, dear," Charlotte tutted. "I was afraid this would happen. How long has it since you had your last monthly."

"Not for a couple of months, now," Ruth said, realization suddenly dawning on her about what Charlotte was getting at. "You don't think…"

"Oh, yes, I _do_ think," Charlotte said severely. "I would say that you are most likely with child." After a pause, she cried, "Ruth, how could you be so careless!"

Ruth did not reply, because her mind had gone elsewhere, With a dreamy smile on her face, she went to sit on the side of the bed, as she took in the idea that she was likely carrying Marcus' child. Surely, they would marry now! She could hardly wait to tell him the good news.

"I must find Marcus and tell him he's to be a father," she said, smiling. "Perhaps we'll be able to get married right away!"

"I wouldn't get your hopes up too much," Charlotte said carefully. "From what William and Captain Bordon have said about him, Sergeant Major Tapp isn't the marrying kind. He's trifled with the affections of more than one woman from what I've been told."

Waving a dismissive hand, Ruth said, "It's different with us. It wasn't just a single tumble in the hay. We've been together almost constantly since the end of October. Marcus just needed to find the right woman." Hastily pulling on her clothes, she added, "And I know Marcus will make a wonderful father. I just know it."

Charlotte sighed loudly at Ruth's naïveté. "Well, you certainly must tell him at least and give him the chance to do the right thing," Charlotte conceded. "But perhaps you should wait until noon to do so. He might not care to be interrupted from his duties. I would imagine that a Sergeant Major has quite a bit to do during the day."

"Nonsense," the other woman said. "I'm sure he'll want to know right away."

Charlotte rolled her eyes, then said, "At least you need to come downstairs and help me dress properly before you go."

"All right, Miss Charlotte," Ruth said contritely. "I'm sorry, I forgot my duty."

"I quite understand," Charlotte said. "I well remember when I first realized I was with child."

A little more than a half hour later, Ruth hastened down to the parade ground where Marcus was conducting his inspection of the enlisted men and their equipment. She hesitated for a moment under a tree, taking pleasure from watching him walk up and down the ranks of the men under his supervision.

After a long moment, she continued on towards her lover. Just before she reached him, he grabbed the carbine of a nervous young dragoon and barked, "You buggering sod! This carbine is so dirty I'd not be surprised if it blew up in your face if you tried to use it. Ten lashes!"

He turned to move on to the next rank when he realized Ruth was there. Irritated that she'd interrupted him from his duty, he demanded, "What is it, Ruth? Couldn't it have waited until noon. Can't you see I'm busy?"

Somewhat put off by his manner, she said quietly, "It's very important or else I'd not have disturbed your work."

"All right," he said, leading her away from the men. As they walked over to a tree, the men laughed and he heard one man say, "Look at that, will yeh? That little lady is gelding Tapp."

Making a half turn, Tapp growled at the offender. "Shut your filthy gob unless you want to be cleaning the bloody jakes with your tongue!"

The men quieted immediately and Tapp turned back to Ruth, who was beginning to think she should have taken Miss Charlotte's advice about waiting to tell her news. But she was here now, so there was nothing for it.

"Marcus," Ruth said, looking up into his eyes, trembling just a little. "I'm…I'm with child!" She gave him a hopeful smile.

Marcus Tapp did not say a word for a long moment. Stunned by the news, he turned to look away from her.

"Marcus?" Ruth was concerned with his silence.

After a long moment, he turned back to her and said hurriedly, "I have to get back to work. The Colonel wants this inspection done before noon."

The tall dragoon turned away and began striding back to the parade ground without another word.

"Marcus?" Ruth called. "Didn't you hear me?"

"I heard you," he said laconically and continued walking away. "I'll talk with you later."

Ruth stared after him, open mouthed with shocked surprise at his less than warm reception to the news. Finally, she gathered herself up and hurried back to the big house, with a lump forming in her throat.

She hurried back up to the Tavingtons' quarters, where she fortunately found Charlotte Tavington still by herself,

Noticing the stricken expression on Ruth's face, she indicated a chair, then asked, "Did it not go well?"

"No," she said miserably. "No, it didn't."

"What did he say?" the older woman inquired.

"That's just it," Ruth replied. "He didn't say anything! He just told me he had to go back to work and walked away from me!"

"Perhaps it wasn't the best time or place to tell him?" Charlotte speculated. "He may have been so surprised he didn't know what to say?"

"Maybe," Ruth admitted. "And perhaps he didn't want to talk about it in front of the other men." Sighing mournfully, she said, "I should have listened to you and waited until we were alone to tell him."

"I do know what I'm talking about sometimes," the other woman said ruefully.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Ruth said, "I don't know what I'm going to do if he doesn't want to marry me."

"William can order him to marry you," Charlotte said decisively. "But I think you should wait to see what he says before resorting to that."

"You're right," Ruth said. "I love Marcus dearly, but I don't want him to marry just because he's been ordered to do so. I want him to want to marry me because he loves me."

"Your baby will need its father," Charlotte told her. "Even if he doesn't want to get married, he could learn to love you as your marriage went on."

"Or he could learn to hate me for trapping him," Ruth countered bitterly. "I just don't know what to do Miss Charlotte!"

At that moment the door opened to admit William Tavington. Looking at the upset expressions on both his wife's face and her maid's, he demanded "What's wrong?"

Before Ruth could protest, Charlotte blurted out, "I'm afraid Ruth is with child."

"That's not surprising," Tavington snorted. "As much time as you've been spending with the Sergeant Major, I'm not surprised it didn't happen sooner." Turning to regard Ruth with an unsympathetic gaze, he added, "Have you told Tapp yet?"

After Ruth nodded, he demanded "And? What did he say?"

"He didn't say much of anything, really," Ruth admitted. "He just told me he had to get back to work. It doesn't appear as if he's very happy about the news."

"That doesn't surprise me, either, knowing what I do of the man," Tavington said sourly.

Ruth withered under Tavington's hard glare, but didn't say anything.

"I told you to leave well enough alone, but you chose not to listen," Tavington growled. "Now you're seeing the truth of my words."

"Can you not order him to marry Ruth?" Charlotte asked anxiously.

"I could, but I won't," Tavington snapped back. "He's too valuable to me as Sergeant Major for me to meddle into his personal life in such a manner." After a pause, he added, "And there's the small fact that he did not ravish Ruth, but she associated freely with him. You bear as much responsibility for this, Ruth, as he does, if not more."

"He did say he'd come by to talk with me about it later," Ruth said miserably. "Perhaps he'll want to do the right thing once he's had time to think about it."

"Perhaps," Tavington agreed. "But I wouldn't seriously count on that if I were you."

Pacing back and forth for a long moment, he finally said, "And the fact of you being with child without the benefit of marriage presents another problem. You are Mistress Tavington's maid and she is within two months of giving birth herself. How do you intend to properly carry out your duties and obligations to her when you are heavy with child yourself and without the support of the child's father? I am seriously considering discharging you from our employ so that we might find a maid who can properly keep her mind on her duties."

"Oh, no, William!" Charlotte cried. "Please reconsider! Ruth and I have been through so much together. I could not bear to lose her, especially at this time, so close to my confinement."

Softening at his wife's entreaties he murmured, "I never can refuse you."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Several hours later, Ruth was beside herself with worry. Marcus did not return to share the noon meal with her and now it was dinnertime and she'd not seen any sign of him. She'd spent the afternoon with Miss Charlotte making baby clothes for her baby this time. Miss Charlotte said they'd already made plenty of clothes for her baby and that there was more than sufficient material left over to make clothes for the baby Ruth would bear Marcus Tapp.

She'd returned to her own quarters shortly before dinnertime, hoping to find Marcus waiting for her. Disappointed to find the room empty, she put away the baby clothes she and Miss Charlotte had managed to make in the space of an afternoon. Deciding to wait awhile for him to return, Ruth paced the small room, then moved out into the hall to have more room to pace. The young woman stood at the small window at the end of the corridor by the stairs that looked out over the path that led to the tent encampment. Still, though, she didn't see any sign of him.

Eventually, hunger won out and Ruth couldn't wait any longer for him. If she was going to have supper, she needed to go now while they were still serving. After she'd finished eating, she'd still not seen him, so she trudged dejectedly back to her room to continue to wait.

Finally, as it was getting dusk, she couldn't stand it any longer. Grabbing her shawl, she left her cramped room and hurried down the narrow staircase. Her heart pounding, she headed toward Marcus' tent to see what was wrong. As she approached the edge of the tent encampment, she heard the sounds of raucous laughter, both male and female, coming from the other side of Marcus' tent.

Before she reached his tent, she heard Marcus' guttural voice calling out, "When Marcus is up, he's up like an animal!" This was immediately followed by the sound of feminine giggling. Ruth recognized that tone of voice. In her experience, Marcus' voice always took on a particularly guttural quality the more he was aroused.

A lump in her throat joined Ruth's pounding heart as she peered around the corner of the tent and saw a half-drunk Marcus with two women on his lap. Molly was sitting on his right leg, with her bodice gaping open with no stays underneath, and a woman Ruth didn't know was on the other leg, her petticoats rucked up to her waist. He had one hand down Molly's shift and the other between the other woman's legs. Both women had a hand each down the front of his breeches, fondling him.

Ruth inhaled sharply as if she'd just been slapped. She stared dumbly for a long moment, not quite able to process what her eyes were seeing. As she felt the tears welling up, she turned sharply and ran away, with the three revellers never having realized she was there.

The distraught young woman stumbled blindly away from the tent encampment, wanting to be anywhere but there right now. Not really looking where she was going, she tripped over a large tree root right in front of the stairway to the Bordon's quarters and sprawled in the grass.

Once back in her cramped room, Ruth threw herself down on the bed which still bore strong traces of Marcus' scent. She broke out into loud, gulping sobs as her mind replayed the scene of her betrayal over and over. After grabbing the pillow he'd last used, she rocked back and forth as she cradled it.

Eventually her tears subsided into occasional sniffles as she looked up at the ceiling and contemplated her predicament. Ruth's heart ached because she realized that, despite it all, she still loved Marcus dearly. And she knew one thing: that no matter what happened between her and Marcus, she wanted their baby fiercely.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_**Author's Note**: Marcus Tapp's line, "When Marcus is up, he's up like an animal!" was borrowed directly from "Sharpe's Company", where Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill says the very same thing (using his own first name, of course!). In both instances, it is pure sexual innuendo. I couldn't resist borrowing a bit of Obadiah to use with Tapp in this chapter._

_"Jakes" is eighteenth century slang for "outhouse"._


	47. On the Road

**One week later**

Charlotte Tavington looked around for the last time at the suite she'd shared with William since shortly after their marriage. The order had finally come for them to make the move to Winnsboro, which was further upcountry from Fort Carolina.

"So many memories here," Charlotte said quietly, as William shut the door to their quarters for the last time. "I'd hoped that our baby would have been born here."

"That would have been my wish as well," Tavington said, shrugging. "But the Lord General has assured me that there will be suitable accommodations for us in Winnsboro."

"I hope you're right," Charlotte said doubtfully.

"You could have returned to Charlestown, you know, to have the baby there," Tavington reminded her. "In fact, I would have preferred it."

"It's closer for me to accompany you to Winnsboro," Charlotte said firmly. "I'd be travelling much longer to reach Charlestown." After a moment, she added, "And I don't want you to have to wait to see your own child."

She left unspoken the thought that she wanted to make sure William would see his child at all, knowing that death could come any time he left the fort to go on patrol.

"The carriage is waiting downstairs," he told her. "You'll be travelling in the back with the baggage wagons, but I'll provide you with a couple of dragoons for added protection. Plus I'll hopefully see you at some rest stops."

"That's fine, as long as neither of the dragoons is Marcus Tapp," Charlotte said. "I don't want the man near me and I don't think Ruth could bear to see him so close."

"Don't worry," Tavington assured her. "I'll be having him leading a group protecting our flanks. He'll be too busy to linger at the back of the column."

As they stepped outside, the carriage was at the bottom of the stairs, ready to go. The Lord General had given special permission for the heavy vehicle to join the march, allowing for Charlotte Tavington's late state of pregnancy. Normally, she'd have ridden horseback with her belongings on another horse, but Cornwallis had quickly granted Tavington's special request.

Ruth stood waiting by the carriage, her manner subdued and diffident, the way she'd been ever since being spurned by Marcus Tapp. He'd never come to her to talk about their child-to-be; indeed, she'd had no contact with him at all since that terrible day.

And though reeling with pain and anguish, Ruth still had her pride. She'd not sought him out, either, as she had no intention of begging. The young woman, however, prayed nightly that he would come to his senses and eventually come back to her, though she now accepted that there was little chance of this happening. For the meantime, Ruth was taking things one day at a time, handling life as best she could.

Smiling at the downcast young woman, Charlotte said, "Are you ready to go, Ruth?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, Miss Charlotte," she said, sighing glumly. "At least I have plenty of sewing to keep me occupied during the trip."

"And thank God for that," Charlotte replied, a forced cheerful note in her voice. "Keeping busy will make the trip go by that much quicker."

"I suppose you're right," Ruth replied without much enthusiasm. Nothing much seemed to matter since Marcus had walked out of her life. But for her baby's sake, she'd keep putting one foot in front of the other.

"Let me help you get into the carriage," Tavington said to Charlotte. After giving her a kiss, he bent and pulled down the attached steps, then steadied her as she put one foot onto the first step. Putting one hand on her rump, he boosted her until she was safely inside.

Turning to Ruth, he extended a hand to do the same for her.

"I can manage on my own, thank you," Ruth said stiffly, still stung by his reaction to the news of her pregnancy. Before he could protest, she scurried up the steps and took a seat opposite that of Miss Charlotte.

Tavington sighed, knowing that he wasn't the cause of Ruth's problems. After the women were settled, he folded the steps back and closed the door.

Charlotte rolled the window down and trailed her hand out to briefly link with that of her husband. "I'll see you soon" she murmured. "Be careful."

"I always am," he said, kissing her hand briefly. "We'll stop for a break within three hours, I promise." Squeezing her hand one last time, he said, "I'll see you later."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Mary Bordon was ready to leave Fort Carolina behind. Yes, this was the place where she and James had courted and begun their married life, but she was more than ready for a change. It had been painful in recent weeks, as time passed without her conceiving, to closely associate with Charlotte who blossomed more every day with her glowing pregnancy.

And the last straw had been when Ruth had turned up pregnant by that degenerate Marcus Tapp, who didn't even want to be a father. It just wasn't fair! Here was James, a good and honourable man, eager for fatherhood, and she couldn't provide him with an heir. But Tapp had impregnated Ruth as easily as he breathed, yet neither desired nor was fit for fatherhood

Charlotte had offered her a place to ride in the carriage with her and Ruth. Mary had declined, knowing the two women would inevitably and endlessly talk about their pregnancies and babies in general. She'd consented to Susan riding with the two women, however, as she knew it would be easier on her than riding double with someone on horseback.

Mary would ride her own horse, who hadn't been properly exercised in some time, side by side with James. She knew that Tavington wouldn't normally allow a woman to ride up with the dragoons, but he'd made an exception for her, because she was as accomplished of a rider as any of his men. Though Tavington did not expect a fight, she'd also been provided with a pistol, just in case.

As she walked her daughter over to the waiting carriage, Mary said, "I know you'd prefer to ride and you are a good rider, but you're just not big enough to keep up with the dragoons."

"Yes, Mother," the girl said dutifully, though she hated the idea of being confined in the cooped-up carriage for hours.

"Are you sure you won't ride with us, Mary," Charlotte asked as the other woman helped Mary into the carriage. "There's plenty of room."

"I appreciate the offer, but I must refuse," Mary said. "I've not exercised my horse in quite some time and today's trip is the perfect opportunity to do so." Smiling, she added, "But I'll surely see you when we take a rest break."

After giving her daughter one last kiss, Mary went to where she'd tethered her horse, Juno. To her distaste, just as she'd mounted the animal, Sergeant Major Marcus Tapp came by, heading right to where she was about to go.

Weeks of built up frustration suddenly came to a boil as the arrogant Sergeant Major approached. As he came within earshot, she turned to him and spat, "Shame on you, Marcus Tapp! How dare you take advantage of an innocent girl like Ruth, then not do the honourable thing. I know if I were Colonel Tavington, I'd _make_ you marry her. Actually, I think you ought to be strung up from the nearest tree!"

Tapp stopped, regarding the ranting woman with sheer malevolence. "You think so, do you?" he demanded harshly. Not waiting for her reply, he grinned maliciously, then said, "The way I see it, you're jealous. Your man is apparently shooting blanks and you can't stand to see me give another woman a good bellyful." After a pause, he added, "You would do best to tend to your own affairs and stop meddling into what doesn't concern you."

"How _dare _you speak to me, an officer's wife, like that!" she cried indignantly. "You're nothing but a vile piece of gutter trash."

Before Tapp could reply, Captain Bordon came hurrying up to them. "Is there a problem here," he demanded, standing protectively between his wife's horse and Tapp's.

"No, sir," Tapp said, his tone of voice just slightly shy of insolence. "Your wife was just expressing a difference of opinion to me."

"You have no business speaking to my wife about anything, Tapp," Bordon said severely. "You are dismissed."

"Yes, sir," Tapp drawled, snapping off a sloppy salute to Bordon, before turning his horse and trotting away.

After Marcus Tapp had ridden off, muttering under his breath, Bordon turned to Mary, who was still trembling with rage. "Are you all right, love?" he asked, concerned. "Just what did he say to you?"

Not wanting to repeat the crack said about James 'shooting blanks', Mary merely said, "It was really my own fault, I'm thinking. I started it by telling him that his treatment of Ruth has been shameful."

"My God, Mary, whatever possessed you to do that?" Bordon demanded. "Tapp is a dangerous man. You should have never called attention to yourself like that."

"I didn't think," Mary said. "I acted out of frustration."

"He didn't threaten you, did he?" Bordon said. "I can have him busted for that."

"No, James," Mary assured him. "He simply told me to mind my own business."

"Well, you're going to ride up front with me," Bordon decided. "I'll feel better if you're where I can see you."

"Of course, James," Mary replied. "I'd already planned to ride alongside you, anyway."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Three hours later, the column halted for a rest break by a large meadow with a nearby creek.

"Finally!" Ruth exclaimed as the carriage rumbled to a halt. "I am so weary of sitting!"

"As am I," Charlotte agreed. "Do you think you can manage helping me down from the carriage? I find I need to relieve myself."

"Yes, Miss Charlotte, as long as we take it slowly," Ruth assured her. The younger woman was several inches taller than Charlotte, nearly as tall as Colonel Tavington, and felt quite up to the task.

Just as both of Charlotte's feet had reached the ground, one of the dragoon escorts belatedly said, "You should have allowed one of us to have helped you, Mistress Tavington. That's what we're here for."

"Quite all right, Private," Charlotte said briskly. "Why don't the two of you go water your horses while we're stopped and take a break yourselves."

"Will you keep watch while I go behind that large bush over there," Charlotte asked Ruth, pointing, after the two dragoons had trotted off. "I can't wait any longer."

"Of course, if you'll do the same for me," Ruth replied. "I'm fairly near to bursting myself."

"That's how it is when you're expecting," Charlotte said, with a rueful smile. "Just think, you have several more months of this ahead of you."

When both women and Susan had each taken their turns, Ruth said, "I'll go take our canteens down to the creek and fill them all up for us, I'm feeling kind of queasy, so I think the walk will do me good."

"Excellent idea," Charlotte said. "Susan and I will stay here near the carriage in case anyone comes looking for us. If William is able to come check on me, I need to be where he can find me."

"I shouldn't be gone all that long," Ruth promised.

"We'll eat some of the food I brought when you get back," Charlotte said.

When Ruth reached the creek a couple of minutes later, she found several other camp followers engaged in the same task she intended. She moved upstream a bit, to avoid conversing with the other women. She'd just not been in much of a mood for gossip since Marcus had abandoned her.

As she edged away from the laughing, chattering group of women, she was suddenly noticed by Molly.

"Will you look at that, girls!" Molly brayed. "Look at her, she must think she's too good to associate with the likes of us!"

The other women turned to stare at Ruth, who was bent over the stream trying to fill the canteens as quickly as she could and get out of there.

Molly ambled over to Ruth, followed by few of the other women. Glaring down at the other woman, she continued, "You think you're so high and mighty because you're Charlotte Tavington's maid. Truth is, you're no better than the rest of us, especially now that you've got a bellyful of Tapp's bastard."

"Mind your own business, Molly," Ruth said under her breath.

Paying her no heed, Molly was just warming up to her tirade. "But if you think you're special for that, you're sadly mistaken. I'm sure ol' Tapp has left by-blows all up and down the coast. Isn't that right, girls? Almost all of you here have spread your legs for him, haven't you?"

After most of the women nodded vigorously, Molly said, "There, you see? You're nothing special. And obviously you weren't doing the job right, as he's visiting my tent most often these days. Maybe one day soon, I'll be sporting me a big belly."

Having finished her task, Ruth stood up to face Molly and the other women. Speaking loud enough for everyone to hear, she spat, "Yes, but the difference between you and me, Molly, is that I know for sure who the father of my baby is."

"Why, you miserable sow!" Molly exclaimed, moving it to slap Ruth. Molly's friends edged closer as if they wanted to do the same.

Now feeling frightened, Ruth ran away, not paying particular attention to where she was going, as she simply wanted to get away from the angry women. They blocked the direct path back to Miss Charlotte, so she had to run along the creek bank for a bit, before cutting back in to head back to the road. Because she'd looked over her shoulder several times to make sure the women weren't following her, she'd blundered into a group of rough looking infantrymen, who were lounging in a small clearing by the side of the road.

Before she could get to the road, an arm reached out and pulled her to a stop, making her drop her canteens.

"Hey, little lady," one grimy looking private called out. "Where are you going in such a hurry? You didn't even stop to greet us lonely soldiers proper, did you now?"

Another soldier, a corporal, grabbed her other arm, leering at her. "Come on, now, love. Give us all a bit of relief before we have to start slogging onward again."

"Please, let me go," Ruth said, trying unsuccessfully to pull away from the two men. "I don't want any trouble." Nodding toward the creek, she said, "There are plenty of women there who'd be glad to accommodate you, I'm sure."

"Those worn-out slatterns?" a third man spat contemptuously. "They've been ridden more than a dragoon's horse. We want something new!"

"We want something new!" all the other men repeated. "We want something new!"

The second man shoved her to another man, who shoved her to yet another, until she was being shoved from man to man in a circle, while they all continued to chant, "We want something new!"

"What the fuck do you pox-ridden bastards think you're doing?" Marcus Tapp had seen Ruth's predicament as he was riding by and had spurred his horse to come up beside the filthy private who had her pulled tight against him. "Let her go. Immediately."

The private, oblivious to the murderous glare Tapp was giving him, said, "Aww, Sarge. We're just have us a bit of fun here. What it to you anyway,? Is this your whore?"

In the blink of an eye, Tapp had unsheathed his sabre and slid it against the offending private's cheek, opening an angry red gash from cheekbone to jaw. Before he finished replacing it into its scabbard, the other man had quickly released Ruth, his hands instantly flying up in a belated attempt to protect his cut face.

"Do you care to repeat what you just said, Private?" Tapp said coldly. When the man shook his head, the dragoon muttered, "I didn't think so. You try anything like this again with her and my sabre will go lower the next time."

Turning his glare on the other men, he pointed at the group of women still down by the creek and growled, "There's plenty of tail over there if you're needing to have an itch scratched."

As the men dispersed, Tapp leaned down and pulled Ruth up onto his horse, after she'd retrieved the fallen canteens.

"What in the hell were you doing down there among that pack of cutthroats?" Tapp demanded sourly as he turned his horse back onto the road. "If I hadn't come along when I did, they'd have all ridden you until you couldn't twitch."

"What do you care, Marcus?" Ruth asked wearily. "You walked out on me as soon as you found out I was carrying your child."

"I care more than I should," he muttered gruffly, his hands absently stroking her where he held her around the waist.

"You care too _much_?" Ruth was confused. "You certainly have a peculiar way of showing it."

"You didn't answer my question," he said, ignoring her expression of hurt feelings. ""What were you doing down there?"

"I was down at the creek refilling our canteens for the next part of the trip," she told him. "And they grabbed me as I was walking back."

"Charlotte Tavington should have sent the carriage driver to do that," Tapp said. "You shouldn't have to be doing that in your condition."

Ruth shifted to look back into Tapp's face, but nothing about his facial expression betrayed any particular feelings he might have.

A moment later, they'd arrived back at the carriage, where he immediately dismounted and helped Ruth down from the horse, Catching sight of the carriage driver laying in the grass nearby, he left Ruth and strode over and kicked the private in the arse.

"Get up, you bleeding sod!" he roared. When the hapless soldier complied, he said, "Next time the women need some water, you go get it, you lazy piece of shit. Understand?"

"Y-yes, sir," the private said. "Sorry, sir!"

Tapp didn't acknowledge him, but returned to his horse, muttering under his breath. After he swung back up onto his horse, he turned to Ruth who was standing by an open mouthed Charlotte and an avidly curious Susan and said, "I trust you're all right, now?"

After she nodded dumbly, he turned his horse without another word and trotted off, leaving a thoroughly bewildered Ruth staring after him.

"What was that all about?" Charlotte asked, looking askance at the departing Marcus Tapp then back at the perplexed expression on Ruth's face. "You've not reconciled with him, have you?"

"I was accosted by some foot soldiers when I was on my way back here from the creek," Ruth explained. "I think they would have all ravished me had Marcus not come along and stopped them." She shuddered at the mere thought of what likely would have happened to her.

"Well, it would seem as if he does have some measure of regard for you," Charlotte noted. "Even if it is just a desire to protect the mother of his child." After a pause, she added, "And it appears as if he has a sense of honour, after all, however small."

As the women resumed their journey a short time later, Ruth pondered Marcus' actions that day and dared to hope that there might be some hope for them. As the miles passed behind them, Ruth carefully tended that small flicker of hope for the future.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_**Author's Note**: The chanting of "We want something new!" is, of course, taken directly from the old M*A*S*H episode where Hawkeye protests getting the same old thing in the mess tent all the time, and gets everyone in the tent to chant, "We want something else!", over and over._


	48. The Better Man

Charlotte Tavington had been in Winnsboro with William for more than a fortnight now and was perfectly miserable. The Lord General had indeed found them indoor accommodations and while Charlotte was grateful for not having to live in a tent, the accommodations were most definitely not entirely suitable.

She'd put on a brave smile when William had led her to the rude cabin which, fortunately, had two rooms, so that Ruth was able to stay with them. But the roof leaked and the house was infested with mice and bedbugs. Plus it had been cold and rainy for much of the time they'd been there.

Still, she tried not to complain as she knew others were not as fortunate. Mary Bordon was having to sleep in a tent with her daughter and husband, which Charlotte knew had to be infinitely worse. At least she did not have to deal with mud and was able to get warm enough during the cold nights.

Nevertheless, Charlotte had been fidgety and restless ever since their arrival in Winnsboro. Perhaps it was the new surroundings or perhaps she was simply tired of being pregnant, but her mood had been ever-fretful.

For William Tavington, it had been a fortnight of "hurry up and wait". The Lord General had hurriedly moved his command to Winnsboro, thinking that a major confrontation with the rebel General Daniel Morgan was imminent. However, he and his men had done little but linger in camp and wait for the order to move out ever since their arrival.

Banastre Tarleton's Legion had been sent out to chase down Morgan, but Cornwallis had decided to hold Tavington in reserve, waiting until Tarleton had cornered rebel forces before sending Tavington out as a reinforcement.

So, Tavington had been left to cool his heels in camp, with an uncomfortable, ever-fretful Charlotte, who was more than anxious to give birth and be done with her pregnancy. When the weather permitted, they went for walks to allay their cabin fever, which did help to ease the tension for both of them somewhat. Making love after such a walk did even more to help them to relax, but having to share quarters with Ruth limited when they could do so, as the servant rarely left their quarters.

Ruth Moore had arrived in Winnsboro nursing a steady flame of hope that her relationship with Marcus Tapp could be rekindled. Since he'd saved her from being ravished along the road, she'd spent the rest of the journey replaying the incident over and over in her head.

But he'd not sought her out once since they'd been garrisoned in Winnsboro, to her dismay. She'd seen him from a distance a few times coming out of the town's one tavern; once with a slatternly tavern wench on his arm. Her hopes had been cruelly dashed and she now spent most of her time moping around the cabin.

James Bordon was also unhappy in Winnsboro. Since their arrival, Mary had been increasingly fixated with getting pregnant and had cornered him every chance she got to get him to try "just one more time" to impregnate her. He'd never before thought it possible, but he was actually tired of having sex all the time.

The dragoon captain found all sorts of excuses to get away from their drafty and damp tent, often escaping with Wilkins to make endless and pointless inspections of the men. Bordon knew he was irritating Marcus Tapp by appearing in his domain so often, but Bordon didn't care. In fact, he was meanly pleased to do anything to infuriate the arrogant Sergeant Major any chance he got. It was pretty much the only pleasure Bordon took from staying in Winnsboro.

Mary Bordon was glad that the dragoons had remained in their new camp, but was worried that James seemed less eager to start a family as she was. He'd advised her just to let go of worrying about it and just let it happen when the time was right, but as much as she tried to follow his advice, her thoughts couldn't help but return to their lack of success. She'd even stopped visiting Charlotte so often, as the sight of the heavily pregnant woman only served to make her obsess more, even without the other woman having to say a word. And she knew it would be even worse, once Charlotte had given birth.

James spent a lot of time away from their tent and Mary passed the time away by working with Susan on her lessons, particularly reading and ciphering. She was glad she'd thought to bring a couple of Susan's books along, as the work helped to keep her mind occupied during the day.

As for Marcus Tapp, he was perfectly content at Winnsboro. His men were ready to fight, as he'd drilled them relentlessly during their down time in Winnsboro. There had also been plenty of time for him to spend at the tavern, drinking and wenching as well.

He'd not been to see Ruth since they'd arrived, and he regretted his casual admission to her that he cared more for her than he should. He'd seen the look of hope in her eyes and had immediately felt trapped. He'd been truthful when he'd told her that, but Tapp was determined to maintain his freedom. Marcus Tapp was beholden to no man - and he was determined not to be to any woman, either.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Three days later, in mid-January, the call finally came. Ban Tarleton sent word that he was finally closing in on Morgan and that he needed reinforcements right away, as it seemed that a battle was imminent. The Broad River, which was at flood level stage, would be hard for Morgan to ford, so Tarleton knew he'd have to stand and fight soon.

As the dragoons hurried to the northwest to meet up with Tarleton's forces, Tavington turned to Bordon and said, "Well, Bordon? You're the tactician here. Do you think we'll crush that rebel rabble as we usually do? I'm more than eager for a good scrap."

"It's hard to say," Bordon equivocated. "It would seem as if Morgan will be the one who will pick where we fight, which gives them an advantage. I'm sure he'll do his best to pick a spot unsuitable to cavalry if he can. Of course, with as hard as Tarleton is no doubt pursuing him, he might not have the luxury of having the time to pick and choose the perfect battlefield. He'll have to pick soon, as I can't see Tarleton giving him the time to ford the Broad River."

"That sounds about right," Tavington agreed. "I certainly hope Martin and his gang of miscreants decide to make an appearance; that is, if he can drag himself up from his sickbed. I have some unfinished business with him that I'd prefer to settle as soon as possible.

Seeing the feral gleam in Tavington's eyes, Bordon could almost feel sorry for Martin. Almost, but not quite. After what Martin's men had done to Mary, Bordon had lost any desire to waste sympathy on the likes of Benjamin Martin.

"We'll wipe Martin's militia from the face of the Earth, Colonel, that's what we'll do," Bordon agreed. "They've been a thorn in our sides long enough."

"Indeed." Tavington spurred his horse, eager to get it over and done with

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Benjamin Martin had been eager when the summons had come to assist Daniel Morgan, who was soon to face Banastre Tarleton's British Legion. Martin had recently recovered from a long bout with malaria and after weeks in bed, he was ready to get back into the fight. He'd spent those weeks in bed brooding about the horror William Tavington had rained down on Pembroke, and his family in particular, and his desire for revenge was now at a near-boil. The partisan fervently hope that Tavington's dragoons would be part of Tarleton's force, as Martin intended to kill the bastard at the earliest opportunity for what Tavington had done to his family. He'd not rest until he saw Tavington in the ground. The memories of Thomas, Gabriel, and all his friends from Pembroke cried out for justice.

He and his men finally caught up to Morgan at Hannah's Cowpens during the early evening of January 16th, having successfully avoided Tarleton's group on the way up. Ben had been to Cowpens once before, several months back on his abortive run to help Isaac Shelby at King's Mountain.

The men had hunkered down for the night, close by other units in Morgan's command. Martin was glad to see Billy Washington's dragoons in evidence; if anyone could give Tavington and Tarleton a run for their money, it was these men.

"Ben, it's good to see you." Daniel Morgan had come to where Martin and his men were camped to offer a few words of encouragement. "We'll give old Benny Tarleton a devil of a whipping in the morning, I promise you."

"Sir, do you happen to know if Tavington is riding with Tarleton?" Martin asked.

"I've not seen any indication of him," Morgan replied, frowning. "The last I heard about the Butcher, he was in Winnsboro with Cornwallis. But I'd not be surprised if Tarleton called for him to serve as reinforcement."

"I just hope he's here," Ben said fervently. "I have a personal score to settle with him."

"That's all well and good," Morgan said seriously. "But don't let your desire for revenge keep you from doing your proper duty."

"No, sir, I won't," Martin promised. Of course, he still intended to go immediately after Tavington the moment he laid eyes on him, regardless of what Morgan said. In the confusion of the battle, who would have time to notice?

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

After the dragoons had left for Cowpens, Ruth went for a long walk to clear her head. Mary Bordon had come to visit with Miss Charlotte, which made the young woman want to immediately leave the cramped cabin she shared with the Tavingtons.

Ever since Mistress Bordon had made her opinion of Marcus Tapp quite clear, Ruth had avoided the woman. She wanted to tell the other woman off; that her relationship with Marcus was none of her business, but knew it would make things awkward for Miss Charlotte if she did. So, she simply avoided the woman whenever it was possible.

As she strolled up Winnsboro's one street, Ruth suddenly realized that young Susan was running to catch up to her. She paused for a moment to allow the young girl to meet her.

"Felt like a walk, too, did you?" Ruth said, smiling at the young girl. After Susan nodded, Ruth added, "Well, come along, then."

"I couldn't bear listening to Mama and Mistress Tavington talk about how worried they are about Captain James and Colonel Tavington," the little girl reported. "It makes me sad to think about things like that."

"I understand," Ruth said, smiling. "But it's normal to worry about those you love when they're going into danger."

"I suppose that means that you're missing Sergeant Tapp, then," Susan said, guilelessly. "Did you go on a walk to think about him?"

"How did you…?" Ruth asked, flabbergasted. She stopped and looked down at the young girl.

"Oh, I hear things," Susan said airily. "You and Miss Charlotte were talking about your babies in the carriage all the way up here." Grinning in delight, she continued, "You're having a baby with Sergeant Tapp, aren't you?"

"Oh, my, how did you figure that out?" Ruth demanded.

"I could tell by the way you looked at him when he brought you back from the creek that day," the young girl said confidently. "You had that same look in your eyes that Mama gets when she looked at my father and now at Captain James."

"I didn't know I was that obvious," Ruth said, chagrined.

Moving right along, Susan confided, "Mama and Captain James don't like Sergeant Tapp very much. But I don't understand why they don't." Sighing dreamily, she said, "I think he's ever so handsome and dashing and if I were a grown lady, I'd want to marry him!"

Ruth chuckled ruefully at the young girl's artless admission, then said, "Be glad you're a little girl and enjoy it while you can."

Still chuckling to herself a few moments later, she imagined exactly how Susan's parents would react if they only knew how their young daughter felt about Marcus.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The battle at Cowpens began very early the next morning, with Tarleton's men eagerly advancing forward to attack the American forces. In the battle that quickly ensued, it soon become evident that the battle was going in favour of the rebels, however.

Benjamin Martin did not see Tavington at first, as Tavington's dragoons had been held in reserve behind the British infantry. Ben had been with the skirmishers up front, first, but when they retreated to reform behind the Continentals, he had lingered near the front, in order not to miss Tavington once the dragoons were deployed. He hunkered down by a tree to wait, in an area unsuitable for cavalry.

Finally, the 71st Highlanders moved forward to attack, with Tavington leading his dragoons in a flanking manoeuvre to protect the 71st. They were met by several Continental dragoons, which resulted in a clashing melee of sabres.

Ben Martin remained behind his tree, waiting for just the right opening to attack Tavington. He didn't have to wait long. The dragoon's horse veered suddenly to the left to avoid the sabre of a charging Continental dragoon, who continued on past Tavington to slash at several of the Highlanders.

Tavington's horse caught its front left hoof in a hole in the ground only slightly larger that its hoof. The animal lost its footing, throwing Tavington unceremoniously from the saddle to land mostly unscathed on his bum not far from where Martin waited. Spooked, the animal ran off, soon lost in the confusion of fighting men.

Seeing his chance, Martin rushed from his hiding place brandishing his tomahawk. To his annoyance, however, the dragoon was able to regain his footing before Martin could bury the weapon in Tavington's skull, with him overshooting his target. No matter, though, Martin wanted Tavington to know who killed him. He wanted his face to be the last thing the Butcher saw before being sent to hell.

By the time Martin had gathered himself back up and returned to Tavington, the dragoon had drawn his pistol and fired. Ben managed to dart to the side, with the bullet grazing him across the outside of his leg. Still, it was exceedingly painful and made him bleed like a stuck pig. The partisan stumbled like a drunken man as Tavington rushed up to him, now with sabre drawn.

Martin raised his tomahawk to block Tavington's sabre and the two men danced around, blocking and parrying the other's moves.

"I'm going to send you straight to hell for what you did to my sons and the people of Pembroke," Martin grunted as he continued to struggle with Tavington. "And, God as my witness, I won't give you an easy death."

With a scornful sneer, Tavington shot back, "Well, let us just see who is the better man, shall we? It seems as if I am, as Charlotte chose to marry me, rather than a unrefined bumpkin like you."

"I should have let Rollins hump her to death," Martin jeered as he lunged, nicking Tavington's ear in the process. "And I'll be in her bed soon after I put you in the ground, mark my words. But not before I kill that bastard she's carrying. It's bad blood that has no right to live."

Incensed by Martin's words, Tavington swung his sabre, laying open Martin's cheek to the bone.

He moved to swing again, but was blocked by Martin's tomahawk. "You have a daughter, Martin, don't you?" he said in an almost conversational tone. "Fourteen or fifteen, isn't she?" Pushing hard against the shorter weapon, Tavington told him, "After the battle after I've killed you, I'm going to go find her."

Martin swung again, missing Tavington entirely.

Unfazed, Tavington continued, "When I find her, I'm going to bust her…and what a busting it's going to be!"

Martin lost all restraint at this point. Screaming in uncontrollable rage, Martin threw himself at Tavington, with the force of his anger catching Tavington off-guard and knocking him to the ground. He swung again, giving Tavington a glancing blow to his sword arm, which caused the dragoon to drop the sabre.

Ben kicked the sabre away, grinning maniacally. "I've got you now, you fucking bastard. And I'm going to enjoy chopping you into small pieces, truly, I am."

Before he could move in to make good his threat, Martin's eyes widened with shock as he was run through with a sabre from behind. As he fell, mortally wounded, Marcus Tapp brought his horse to a stop by Tavington.

Tavington scrambled to his feet and quickly retrieved his sabre. Glancing up at Tapp, he growled, "He's mine, Tapp!"

Nodding in agreement, the Sergeant Major nevertheless remained to protect his commander and to keep anyone from interfering with what Tavington was about to do.

Standing over Martin, whose hands were scrabbling uselessly at the tip of Tapp's sabre protruding from his chest, Tavington looked down at Martin, his cold eyes pitiless. "Time to say goodbye, Martin."

Moving forward, Tavington stuck the point of his sabre on Martin's throat and bore down with all his strength

With no more than a single strangled gurgle, Martin was dead. Tavington braced one foot on Martin's shoulder and yanked his sabre out of Martin's neck, then kicked him onto his stomach to retrieve Tapp's sabre.

Turning away from the corpse, he ambled over to Marcus Tapp. "I think you'll be wanting your sabre back, Tapp," he said, handing it up to him. "I am, of course, grateful for your timely assistance."

Tapp briefly nodded his acknowledgment, then pointed into the nearby trees. "Your horse, Colonel."

Tavington turned to see the faithful animal waiting patiently by the same tree that Martin had hid behind. After quickly mounting up, he and Tapp retreated back to where Tarleton's dragoons were racing from the field, the British forces in a complete rout.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

**Author's Note: **_Because Tavington was, of course, not at the Battle of Cowpens in real life, I had to change certain historical details of the battle in order to fit him in._

_General Daniel Morgan actually referred to Ban Tarleton as "Benny".  
_

_Tavington's line "When I find her, I'm going to bust her…and what a busting it's going to be!" was again taken from the Sharpe Series' Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill, specifically from the TV adaptation of "Sharpe's Enemy"._

_There's a new post on my blog,"My Choice for Marcus Tapp". My blog may be accessed through my profile here.  
_


	49. What Matters Most

What was left of William Tavington's dragoons stumbled back into camp in Winnsboro late in the evening of the 17th after evading the pursuing Americans. They'd split up from the remnants of Ban Tarleton's dragoons not far out of Cowpens, each going their own way in hopes of confusing their pursuers.

Tavington and Bordon were at the head of the now-shortened column, with Tavington dirty and bleeding from his confrontation with Benjamin Martin. Bordon's jacket was torn and dirty and his hair half-unqueued, but he was otherwise uninjured. Marcus Tapp rode not too far behind the officers, his expression grim. Corporal Sanders rode silently beside him, but Corporal Freeman had been killed, his body left on the field at Cowpens.

Charlotte Tavington rushed outside at the sound of the hoof beats. Her heart leaped at the sight of William, dirty and bleeding, his facial expression bleak and defeated.

"Oh, my word," she murmured, as Mary Bordon and Ruth came out to join her. She'd never before seen William come home from a battle looking quite like this. Charlotte put on a brave smile as he carefully slid down from his horse and handed it off wearily to a waiting groom. She was grateful that he'd come home at all and mostly in one piece.

As he walked over to her she threw her arms around him, not caring that he was getting blood all over her. "William I'm so glad you're home," she breathed, pressing a fervent kiss to the side of his cheek. "But you're wounded. You must really have this looked at by the doctor."

"It's nothing," he said dismissively. "It will heal. But many of my men paid the ultimate price today and will never get the chance to heal."

"Let me get you inside where I can clean you off, at least" she said decisively. Turning to Ruth, she asked "Please go draw some water from the well so I can tend to the Colonel's wounds.'

"Of course, Miss Charlotte, right away."

As Ruth turned to fetch the bucket sitting outside the Tavington cabin, she noticed Captain Bordon being fussed over similarly by his wife and step-daughter. Moving down the path to the nearest well moments later, she looked at the group of dismounting dragoons praying that she'd find Marcus among them.

She sighed with relief when she spotted him among the other enlisted men. And even though they were not back together, her heart soared to know that the father of her child was still alive and unharmed. Humming contentedly to herself, she set about fetching the water for the Tavingtons.

/\/\/\/\/\/\\\/\\/

"What happened, William?" Charlotte asked Tavington in concern as she carefully helped him to remove his bloody jacket,

"It was a bloody disaster," he muttered, wincing as she moved to remove his shirt, which was stuck to the bleeding arm wound. "First of all, Tarleton drove his men without enough food or rest, so that when they finally fought Morgan's men, they were unable to fight effectively. Tarleton had also underestimated how many men Morgan had and the ground was such that we didn't realize just how many they had until it was too late."

"I'm sorry, love," Charlotte said sorrowfully.

"Not only that, but there were so many casualties and hundreds of men were taken prisoner," he reported. "In all my years as a soldier, I've never seen a worse outcome."

Charlotte did not comment, but merely continued to gently wash his wound with the water Ruth had brought earlier. She knew she'd do him the most amount of good simply by listening sympathetically, rather than talking. After all, what did she know of war?

A few moments later after his injury had been dressed and he was clad in a new shirt and his banyan, Tavington took Charlotte's hand and led her to the bed.

"Come have a seat, Charlotte," he said quietly, patting the mattress next to him. "There's something else I need to tell you."

Not releasing her hand after she'd sat down next to him, he said, "There's no easy way to put this, but Benjamin Martin died at Cowpens."

"Oh, my," Charlotte responded, not quite knowing what to say. "Did you see it happen?"

After a short pause, Tavington admitted, "I was the one who killed him." Not waiting for Charlotte to comment, he continued, "He initiated the attack. I was unhorsed leading a charge and no sooner had I regained my feet than he was rushing at me with his tomahawk. It was almost as if he was waiting for me."

"Ben always was one to carry a grudge," Charlotte admitted sadly. "But could you have not simply wounded him?"

Tavington sighed loudly at his wife's naïveté before responding. "I did wound him, Charlotte," he explained as patiently as he could. "He kept coming at me - where do you think I got these wounds from?" After a pause, he concluded, "He didn't give me any other choice. In fact, it took both me and Tapp to bring him down - he'd have killed me if Tapp had not come along at just the right moment."

He did not add that there wasn't any way he'd have spared Martin's life, in any instance. Benjamin Martin had simply been a nuisance that Tavington had eradicated and he was glad that Martin had given him the opportunity to do so.

"His poor children," Charlotte said sadly. "Orphans now, and having lost their two oldest brothers as well."

"Martin should have thought about that before taking up arms against the King," Tavington said unsympathetically.

"It's still a shame, though," Charlotte said in a small voice. "No matter what their father did, his children are still innocent."

Later that evening, as the Tavingtons wearily climbed into bed for the night, Charlotte snuggled closely against her husband, knowing he was still brooding about the day's defeat at Cowpens.

As his arm went around her, he said heavily, "You know, I never thought I'd say this, but we could lose this war. To see all my hard work come to nothing…" His voice trailed off.

"No matter how this war turns out, you'll always know that you did your best to serve King and Country," Charlotte said firmly. "I suppose you do know that you're not personally responsible for the outcome of this war?"

"Yes you're right, of course," he conceded. "But I do so hate to lose."

"The war isn't over yet," Charlotte reminded him. "Things could turn around at any time. One defeat in battle does not equal a war lost." Kissing his cheek, she continued, "And no matter what happens, we still have each other. That's what matters most." A moment later, she added, "And since we've sold the plantation, we'll have plenty of money to start over somewhere else if need be."

Taking his hand, she placed it on her belly to feel the baby kicking. "I think he's nearly ready to come out and meet the world," she said, smiling.

"I wouldn't imagine it would be too long," Tavington agreed as he felt the vigorous kicking under his hand. "Seems as if he'll be a strong lad, if those kicks are any indication."

"Just like his father," Charlotte murmured dreamily. "It could be a _girl_, you know."

"It could be," Tavington agreed. "But there's just as much chance it will be a boy."

"Boy or girl, I hope it's born soon," Charlotte said. "I am dearly sick of being pregnant."

"Amen to that," her husband concurred. "Now let's get some rest."

He took Charlotte into his arms again, spooning against her from behind, but did not attempt any further intimacy, as his arm throbbed too much for him to concentrate on that. Sex had also become increasingly awkward for her, now so late in pregnancy. It was enough for him now just to feel the steady reassuring beat of her heart under his hand.

Early the next morning, Tavington reluctantly slipped out of bed into the cold morning air to go an early meeting with the Lord General. Banastre Tarleton and his men had not slipped into Winnsboro until late the previous night, so Cornwallis had decided to wait until his arrival to debrief the two dragoon commanders.

He dressed as quietly as he could, not wanting to awaken Charlotte, who had spent most of the previously night tossing and turning in discomfort. Now that she'd finally fallen asleep, he wanted her to sleep as long as she could.

Tavington found Ruth already up and tending breakfast by the fireplace when he entered the main room from the bedroom a few minutes later.

"You're up early," he observed as she dished him out a plate of porridge from the pot hanging over the fireplace. Indicating a chair, he said, "Please. Join me for breakfast."

Nodding in assent, she fixed herself a second plate, then sat at the rude wooden table across from him.

"I find that I've tended to wake up earlier in recent weeks," Ruth said, indirectly referring to her pregnancy. "It's for the best, as I get more accomplished if I rise early."

"Very true," Tavington said. "And especially so at this time of the year when the days are shorter."

"Will Miss Charlotte be joining us for breakfast?" Ruth asked. "I made enough for all three of us."

"No, she had a largely sleepless night, so I don't expect her to rise any time soon," he informed her. "She needs all the sleep she can get now, as she won't be getting much once the baby arrives."

"I'll keep something warm for her for when she does wake up," Ruth assured him.

The two fell silent for a few moments as they continued to eat. Tavington regarded Ruth as they ate, noticing that she seemed more at peace now than she did when Marcus Tapp had first walked out of her life, more accepting of her situation.

Clearing his throat, Tavington told her, "I thought you might be interested to know that Sergeant Major Tapp saved my life yesterday at Cowpens. If not for his timely intervention, I would have almost certainly been killed by Benjamin Martin. I intend to recommend the Sergeant Major for the highest commendations for his bravery."

"Thank you for telling me, Colonel," she said with a shy smile. "I'm very glad to know that." After a pause, she added, "I'm relieved to know that you both returned home safely."

"Contrary to what my wife and especially Mistress Bordon have been telling you, Sergeant Tapp isn't as bad as they make him out to be," Tavington said. "He's simply a man who values his independence."

"I know that, Colonel," she said quietly. "I just don't understand him, is all."

Suddenly feeling ill at ease, Tavington pushed back from the table to leave. "If Mistress Tavington awakens before I return, tell her that I've gone for a meeting with the Lord General. With any luck, I should not be gone for too long."

"Yes, sir," she replied.

A short time later, Tavington approached the house where Charles Cornwallis had made his headquarters. It was only slightly larger than the cabin that Tavington occupied, but was in much better repair.

He found George Hanger standing outside, chatting with several of Tarleton's other officers, but the diminutive Tarleton was nowhere in sight.

"There are you, Tavington," Hanger called out in a casual tone. "I'm not sure if you really want to go in there. I would imagine that the Lord General is handing Tarleton's arse back to him on a platter just about now."

Tavington repressed an instinctual shudder, then said dryly, "No doubt."

"Dreadful business yesterday," Hanger remarked. "Did you know that Billy Washington rode up just to jeer at Tarleton near the end? But Ban simply shot big Billy's horse out from under him." Hanger chuckled briefly at that.

"I hadn't heard that," Tavington said, chuckling. "Sounds like something Tarleton would do, though." Heaving a sigh, he said, "I suppose I'd best go inside and face the music."

Tavington went inside the dimly lit structure to find a contrite Tarleton, helmet in hand, standing in front of a seated, irritated Cornwallis, still dressed in his banyan.

"Glad you could finally make it, Tavington," Cornwallis snapped. "Had a hard time dragging yourself from bed, did you?"

Tavington did not respond, as he knew the Lord General did not expect an answer.

"As I was telling Tarleton before you arrived, we have two objectives now that we've lost Cowpens," Cornwallis informed Tavington. "First, we need to pursue Morgan and see how many of our men we can get back. Secondly, the defences at Charlestown need to be strengthened. It's our most important southern port and it needs to be held at all costs."

Looking soberly at both men, he emphasized, "If we lose Charlestown, we've pretty much lost everything, as that would be the end of our supply line."

"Toward that end, I've decided to send Colonel Tarleton after Morgan," Cornwallis continued. "Colonel Tavington and what's left of his force, will be reassigned to the garrison at Charlestown, with primary duties being the defence of the perimeters of the city. Colonel Tarleton and his men will leave as soon as his unit can be properly re-supplied. Tavington, you will need to report in Charlestown in two week's time."

"Sir?" Tavington was stunned that he and his group would not be included in the chase for Morgan.

Understanding Tavington's unspoken question, Cornwallis said, "You've not done anything wrong, Tavington. In fact I've entered an official commendation into your record for eliminating Benjamin Martin."

"Thank you, sir," Tavington said. "I would also like to add that Sergeant Major Tapp should also be commended, as his timely intervention saved my life and allowed me to finish the job on Martin."

"Noted," Cornwallis said. "I'll attend to that promptly. Returning to what I was originally saying, the assignment in Charlestown is of the utmost importance and required me to send the senior man, which is you, Tavington. Mistress Tavington's knowledge of the area and its inhabitants as well as that of Captain Wilkins also played a role in my decision."

"I understand, sir," Tavington acknowledged. "I know that Charlotte will be glad to hear the news."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Charlotte Tavington got up less than a half hour after Tavington had left for his meeting. Feeling distinctly unwell, she slipped on her dressing gown over her shift and donned a pair of mules before entering the front room.

Ruth was still sitting at the table, doing some needlework as Charlotte entered the room.

Miss Charlotte!" Ruth said. "I didn't expect to see you up so soon. Colonel Tavington said you'd not slept well last night."

"That's true," she acknowledged. "But I can't sleep any better now that it's daylight, so I figured I should at least get up and have some breakfast and perhaps take a nap later on."

"There's still some warm porridge left," Ruth said, indicating the pot over the fireplace. "Why don't you have a seat and I'll get some for you."

"Don't get up," Charlotte said, "I don't mind getting it myself."

As she turned to head to the fireplace, she was suddenly hit with a sharp pain in her midsection. Staggering over to the table, she sat down to ride out the pain.

"Are you all right?" Ruth said in concern.

"I think I might be in labour," Charlotte managed to say a few moments later as the pain abated. "This is not the first pain I've had."

"Have you had many more pains like this?" Ruth asked. "And, if so, when was the last one."

"Yes, about ten or twelve minutes ago," the other woman estimated. "Perhaps I'm wrong however, as I'm about two weeks early."

"Babies have their own time, Miss Charlotte," Ruth told her. "You should know that. My Mum delivered my baby sister nearly three weeks before she was supposed to, but everything turned out well."

Getting up, she said, "I should go get the midwife to come look at you to see if you're truly in labour."

"Yes, I think that's a good idea," Charlotte said weakly. "But before you go, could you bring me some tea and porridge?"

"Of course," Ruth said. "Will you be all right while I'm gone?"

"I'll be fine," Charlotte said. "William shouldn't be too much longer, I would think."

A few minutes later, Ruth hurried along the mud-rutted road to the enlisted men's tent encampment, where the midwife resided with her infantry sergeant husband. As she entered the area, she nearly ran right into Marcus Tapp, who was leaving to go to the tavern in the centre of town.

"Marcus!" she said, giving him a tentative smile.

Steadying her with both hands at her elbows, he looked down at her with the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"What brings you down here, Ruth?" he asked. "And in such a hurry, too."

"It's Miss Charlotte," she explained breathlessly, her heart beating madly at the nearness of him. "I think she's in labour and I'm going to go find the midwife."

"Is Colonel Tavington there with her?" Tapp asked. "I saw him earlier heading up to see the Lord General."

"No, I think he's still in the meeting," Ruth reported.

"If you like, I can go by and let him know what's going on," Tapp told her. "It would save you a trip."

Smiling wider now, Ruth said, "Thank you; that would be a big help to me."

"It's my pleasure," he said, before loping off in the direction of Cornwallis' headquarters.

Ruth watched her erstwhile lover for a long moment before reluctantly turning away to head to the midwife's tent.

She found the woman a couple of minutes later out in front of her tent doing some mending for her small family.

"Mrs Carter?" Ruth said as she walked up to the woman.

"Yes?" Martha Carter looked up at the young woman. "You're the Tavingtons' maid, right?"

"That's right," Ruth said. "I think Mistress Tavington has gone into labour. She needs you to come right away."

Getting up from the stool, the older woman said "Let me get my bag and we'll be off." Turning to a boy who appeared to be around ten, she said "Jacob, tell your father that I've gone to deliver the Tavington baby when he gets back. If he needs to see me I'll be up there."

"Yes, ma'am," he told his mother.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

As Marcus Tapp reached Cornwallis' headquarters where George Hanger was still holding forth out front, the door opened as both Colonels Tavington and Tarleton came out.

"Colonel Tavington, sir," Marcus Tapp said, stepping right up to his commanding officer. "You need to get back to your quarters as quickly as possible. I met Ruth who was on her way to fetch the midwife and she asked me to tell you that your wife is most likely in labour."

"Thank you, Tapp, I appreciate it," Tavington said briskly. "I'm on my way."

As the dragoon Colonel hurried off eagerly in the direction of his quarters, Tapp watched him for a long moment deep in thought. He was reminded of his own impending fatherhood realizing he had decidedly mixed feelings about the entire matter. Tapp wasn't all that eager to become a father, but he now realized he did want to at least see the child when it was born. He knew it was likely he had sired other by-blows over the years, but this was the first time he'd ever had any real curiosity about one.

A moment later, he turned and headed for his original destination, all thoughts of fatherhood pushed to the back of his mind and forgotten for the time being.

William Tavington walked as fast as he could back to the small cabin, moving at almost a jog. He'd remembered Charlotte telling him the night before that she had almost two weeks before the baby was supposed to come, so he was rather alarmed at the notion that it could be coming now.

He threw open the door in haste when he reached the cabin and rushed inside to find no one in the front room.

"Charlotte!" he called. "Where are you." He walked further into the room and, to his dismay, found a large wet spot on the floor not far from the table.

"I'm in here," a muffled voice called from the bedroom.

As he entered the bedroom, he found Charlotte standing naked as she rummaged through her pile of clothing.

"It's freezing outside," Tavington said. "You'll catch your death of cold if you don't put something on."

"I'm looking for a fresh shift," she explained. "My water broke suddenly and I needed to change shifts." Smiling widely at her husband, she announced, "I think I'm in labour, William."

"Let's get you into bed," Tavington said once she'd put on a clean shift. "Where is Ruth? Tapp came to find me and said you were labour."

"Marcus Tapp knew I was in labour?" Charlotte asked, mystified. "How did he know? Never mind, it doesn't matter." Taking his hand and smiling again, she said, "Ruth should be back with the midwife any time, I would imagine."

Once Charlotte was settled comfortably back in bed, Tavington got a chair from the other room and pulled it up close to her bed.

"I thought you'd told me that you still had two more weeks to go," he said. "I hope there's nothing wrong."

"It's close enough that the baby should be fine" Charlotte assured them. "Babies come when they're ready and I imagine this one is just eager to see the world."

Leaning over to kiss her cheek, Tavington rumbled, "Ah, a true Tavington, then, never wanting to miss a thing." He looked intently at her and said, "You have never looked more beautiful to me than you do at this moment. You are my heart and my entire world, Charlotte. Nothing matters more right now than to see our child safely born into this world."

"Just think, William," Charlotte murmured. "By this time tomorrow, we won't be just a couple any longer; we'll be a family!"

At that moment they heard the front door open and close and the voices of Ruth and the midwife reached them as they walked in.

"There you are," Martha Carter said, smiling, as she came into the bedroom. "Ruth tells me that your pains are about ten minutes apart now?"

"That's right," Charlotte said. "And my water broke after Ruth left to get you."

"Well, it would appear that you are indeed in labour, then," the midwife said. "But I'll need to make an examination to be sure." Turning to Tavington, she said, "If you'll please excuse us, Colonel. This is women's business now."

"Of course," he said, getting up from the chair. Leaning down to kiss Charlotte on the cheek, he said, "I'll be right out in the other room if you need me."

"I'll be fine, William," she assured him. Looking up at him tenderly she squeezed his hand and silently mouthed the words, "I love you."

After Ruth and Tavington returned to the front room, she turned to him and said, "I'll make you a cup of tea then get started on the noon meal. We're likely in for quite a bit of a wait here, though not as long it would likely be if it were Miss Charlotte's first baby."

"Thank you, Ruth," he said, seating himself at the table. "Perhaps after you give me the tea and before starting the meal you could go fetch Mistress Bordon? I'm sure that my wife would be comforted by her presence.'

"Of course, Colonel," Ruth said, managing to conceal her distaste for the other woman from Tavington.

Ruth left a short time later and was back within minutes with Mary Bordon, who accompanied by Bordon and Banastre Tarleton, who had a bottle of brandy under each arm.

"Thought we'd keep you company and keep you distracted while you wait, Tavington," Tarleton said as he set the bottles on the table. Pulling out a deck of cards from his waistcoat pocket, he added, "And this should keep us well occupied."

"Indeed," Tavington said, grateful for his two friends.

As Ruth returned to her cooking and Mary disappeared into the bedroom, the men settled in with the brandy and cards, prepared for a long wait.

Nearly eight hours later, Ruth stepped out the front door of the small cabin to where the three men stood, taking a short break from the cards.

"Come quickly, Colonel!" she cried. "You have a big, healthy son!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_Thanks to Esther and Julie for helping me break the logjam of writer's block while writing this chapter._


	50. Back in Charlestown

**Two weeks later**

Charlotte Tavington sighed in relief as the heavy carriage finally rumbled to a halt in front of her home in Charlestown. Her newborn son, William, was asleep in a makeshift cradle on the floor between her and Ruth, who sat opposite Charlotte. They'd been several days travelling on bad roads and she was glad to have the trip finally at an end.

"Oh, I'm so glad to be home," Ruth said, sighing, as she looked out the window at the house that had been her home for most of the time she'd been in South Carolina.

"Amen to that," Charlotte agreed. "I'm so weary of travelling and sleeping outdoors in a tent. It will be good to get the baby settled and into a good routine." After a short pause, she added ruefully, "And not to mention how divine it will be to sleep in my own bed again and finally get some rest."

"And I like the idea that my baby will be born in Charlestown," Ruth added. "I dearly hope Marcus and I can reconcile by that time."

Charlotte did not reply, not wanting to get her servant's hopes up unnecessarily.

William had sent two riders ahead of the column to notify the servants of their impending arrival, so when the Colonel came back to the carriage to help the women out, Charlotte's faithful butler Matthew was waiting for them.

"Oh, Matthew, it's so good to see you!" Charlotte said, smiling broadly. "I've been so homesick all these months!"

"It's good to see you, too, Miss Charlotte," the dignified servant replied. "I've got your bedroom ready and the staff is getting the rest of the house in order now. The riders who came told us about the baby, and I was able to find a bassinet in the attic and it's already waiting in your room."

"Thank you, Matthew," she said. Holding William up for Matthew to inspect, she added, "Meet our new son. This is William Putnam Tavington."

Looking at the dark-haired, blue-eyed baby, the butler observed, "He certainly looks like the Colonel, sure enough."

"That he does, Matthew," William Tavington said briefly. Turning to his wife, he said, "Let's get you inside and comfortable. I know this trip has been rough on you, considering it came so soon after William's birth."

"I'm fine, love," she assured him. "Just seeing home again has given me new energy."

"Still, you need to get a good nap," Tavington insisted. Returning his attention to the butler, he said, "Get some men to unload the carriage."

"You're right," Charlotte admitted. "And it's about time to feed William again."

Turning to Matthew, Tavington instructed him. "Arrange to have a bath brought up for Mistress Tavington as well."

"At once, Colonel," the servant said, hurrying off to do Tavington's bidding.

Taking baby William from Charlotte, he said, "I'll come in to see you settled, but then I must be off to report to Lord Rawdon. He'll be expecting to see me."

"Of course, William," Charlotte said. "I'll make sure dinner is on the table before you return home."

"Excellent," he said, as they entered their home. Looking around, he said, "It's a good thing you left a staff in place here, as it looks as if we've not been away at all. We can simply resume our lives where we left it here."

"Alone at last," Charlotte said a few minutes later when he'd shut the bedroom door behind them, sitting to wait for the servants to bring the bath. She loosened her bodice and put the baby to her breast as soon as she was seated.

"I've never seen you looking more beautiful than you do at this moment," Tavington said as he beheld his wife with their son at her breast.

Charlotte gazed at her husband with a blushing smile, but did not otherwise reply. A moment later, she looked at the bed and asked, "Do you remember our first time together there?"

"How could I forget?" Tavington said, chuckling. "Ruth walked in and caught us the next morning. I'll never forget the look on her face."

"I'm glad I didn't wake up to see it' Charlotte said, shuddering. "I would have been absolutely mortified."

"As I remember, Ruth was rather mortified herself," Tavington said. "I don't think she was able to look me in the eye for nearly a week after that."

Looking around the room, Charlotte spied the old bassinet set up in a corner of the bedroom. With a pensive expression, she said, "This is the bassinet I used to use when Ben and Elizabeth would bring their brood here for a visit. Gabriel was the first one to use it." She sighed loudly, thinking again of the orphaned Martin children.

Tavington rolled his eyes and quickly changed the subject. "So, which bedroom do you want to give the Bordons?" he asked casually.

"I think on the opposite side of the house, so they won't be disturbed with William's crying," Charlotte decided. "And Mary has become so obsessed with not conceiving that I thought it best to limit her exposure to William."

"I hope Bordon can give her a baby soon, as she's been adversely affecting Bordon's focus on duty," Tavington reported.

"You mean that Captain Bordon is talking with the men about his problem?" Charlotte said, horrified. "Mary would be humiliated if she knew."

"No, no, not at all," he hastily assured her. "From what you've told me about Mary and what I know about Bordon's lack of concentration, I simply drew a logical conclusion."

"I see," Charlotte said. "I hope she has good news soon, as she's been acting rather oddly with me for weeks now. I understand how she's feeling, but I'm not going to hide my joy about our baby simply because she's having trouble. I don't see what she's worried about, in any instance. She and Captain Bordon have only been married a few months; she simply needs to give it a bit of time."

Before Tavington could reply, a knock came at the door, which turned out to be the servants bringing her bath. Once they'd set it up and left, Tavington said, "Well, I really must be off to see Lord Rawdon. I'll send Ruth in to attend you."

"We'll be fine," Charlotte assured him. "Go ahead. Dinner should be ready by the time you get back."

About a half hour later, Charlotte left Ruth with baby William, then went downstairs. Ruth had been eager to care for the newborn ever since he'd been born, saying that it was excellent practice for when her own baby came in a few months.

She found the Bordons in the main sitting room drinking the tea that Matthew had brought. Servants had brought in their belongings, which were piled on the floor.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here when you came in," Charlotte apologized. "But I simply had to have a bath to get all the road grime off me."

"Quite all right," James Bordon said, inclining his head with a brief smile. "Matthew brought us tea and a bit to eat, so we've been managing fine." He ignored the dirty look from his wife that clearly indicated that she didn't think it was at all fine.

"Why don't I show you to your room?" Charlotte suggested. "The servants will bring your belongings upstairs and you can get settled in before dinner."

"I thought I'd give you the room Colonel Tarleton previously occupied," Charlotte said few moments later as she opened the door to that room. "It's a bit larger than the one you had when you were here before, Captain, so I think you'll both be more comfortable in here."

"It's lovely," Mary said as she looked around the airy, spacious room.

"I'll put Susan in the smaller room next door," Charlotte said. "There's a desk in there she can use for her school work as well." Indicating a door down the hall, she continued, "And Ruth will be in the room on the other side of Susan, so she'll be closer to be able to help me with William and will be more comfortable when her own baby comes."

Turning to step outside the door, she said, "I'll leave you all to settle in while I go check on dinner, which will be as soon as William returns from headquarters."

After Charlotte had left, Susan went next door to explore her new bedroom. Mary closed the door to her bedroom as soon as her daughter had left.

Turning to her husband, who had hung his jacket up and placed his helmet on side table, she said, "I really wish we could have been billeted elsewhere."

Bordon heaved a loud sigh. "Now, how would I explain that to Colonel Tavington?" he asked. "I'm his second in command and it's simply more convenient for us to stay where he can confer with me at any time. Besides, I think Charlotte Tavington would be hurt if she knew you didn't want to stay here. I don't understand what's wrong, Mary. Have you and she had a disagreement?"

"I'm not angry with Charlotte, not exactly," Mary confided wearily. "But I am ever so envious of her good fortune and it's so hard for me to see her baby every day, as it reminds me of my continued inability to conceive. It's all I can do sometimes to keep from bursting out into tears."

James Bordon seated himself in a comfortable chair near the window. "Come here, Mary," he said gently, patting his lap for her to sit on. When she did so, he said, "I know you want a baby, but you should give it time. We've not been married all that long, after all."

Kissing her on the cheek, he said, "And don't forget, we have Susan. She's a lovely girl; everything I could ever want for a daughter."

"But I want to give you an heir," she protested softly. "You deserve a son."

"And you will, in due time," Bordon said firmly. He placed a finger under her chin and turned her head to face him. "But always remember this; I didn't marry you to get an heir. If that's what I was after, I could have married any woman. But I married _you_ because I love you. If I can't have a child with you, then I don't want any children. Do you understand?"

"Yes, James," she said, leaning against his broad chest. "Truly, I am the luckiest of women to have married such a wonderful man."

Kissing her on the cheek, he said, "That's my girl. Now, why don't we go down and have some dinner. I'm so hungry that I could nearly eat my boots!"

"Ugh," Mary said, making a face. "We certainly wouldn't want you to have to do that, now would we?"

Despite her husband's reassuring words, Mary could not entirely set aside her worry, despite knowing in her head that he was right. Nevertheless, she pasted a smile on her face and followed him downstairs to dinner.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

At the same time that the Tavingtons and Bordons were having dinner together in the dining room, Ruth was having dinner in the kitchen with some of her fellow servants, most of whom she'd not seen since leaving with the Tavingtons months before. She'd caught up on all the gossip around Charlestown, as well as having told those that had remained behind about her adventures following the army.

She had them all laughing as she recounted Molly's antics since leaving Miss Charlotte's employ, but did not feel comfortable sharing the story of her interrupted romance with Marcus Tapp with everyone. However, she knew she had to share it with someone, as she knew she'd be showing soon and her pregnancy would be obvious to everyone.

Near the end of the meal, she turned to the maid, Bessie, who had been her best friend before Miss Charlotte had married Colonel Tavington. "Bessie," she said in a low voice. "Why don't we take a little walk?"

Bessie Crawford had known Ruth Moore long enough to realize that she had something to tell her that she didn't want the others to hear.

Smiling, she said, "Of course. I could use a little air myself. Just give me a moment to get my wrap."

A few minutes later, the two young women had walked across the courtyard facing the street and had gone out the iron gate into the street.

"So, what is it, Ruth?" Bessie demanded eagerly as soon as the gate had closed behind them. "Have you finally found yourself a man?

"How did you know?" Ruth exclaimed, amazed. "Am I that obvious?"

"Well, no, not really," Bessie admitted. "But you were gone for months in the company of soldiers, so what else could it be?"

"That makes sense," Ruth conceded.

"So, tell me everything," Bessie said. "Who is he and, more importantly, where is he?"

"He's one of Colonel Tavington's dragoons," Ruth told her. "He's the Sergeant Major and is so wonderfully handsome."

"No simple Private for Miss Ruth, eh?" Bessie observed, smiling broadly in approval. "So, where is he, then, and when will I get to meet your handsome Sergeant Major?"

"It's complicated," Ruth said, her face darkening as she thought of the current state of affairs between herself and Marcus.

"You don't mean to say that he's already married, do you?" Bessie guessed.

"No, nothing like that," Ruth said quickly. "Far from it, actually."

"Then what is it?" Bessie asked, completely perplexed.

Not quite knowing what to say, but knowing she had to confide in someone, she said, "I'm with child. Everyone will know soon, anyway, but I wanted to tell you first."

"Ah, don't worry about that," Bessie said, putting a reassuring hand on her friend's arm. "You won't be the first bride to go to the altar with a bellyful and you certainly won't be the last, either."

"That's just it," Ruth told her mournfully. "Marcus doesn't want to marry me and we've not been together since I told him I was carrying his child. He's a bit of a rake, you see."

"Oh, dear," Bessie said. "What a cad!"

"And the big problem is that I still love him with all my heart," Ruth moaned, the tears falling now.

"He's the loser if he can't see what a wonderful wife you'd be," Bessie said. "He doesn't deserve someone as good as you."

"True," Ruth agreed, still sniffling. "But I'd take him back immediately if he would ever come to his senses and change his mind."

"You poor dear," Bessie said solicitously. "Your friends will stand by you. And I'm sure Miss Charlotte will help, too."

Before Ruth could reply, the two women heard the sound of approaching horsemen from the far end of the street. Ruth turned to see a half dozen of Tavington's dragoons heading up the street toward them and she straightened up when she saw that it was none other than Marcus Tapp leading them.

Noticing Ruth's reaction, then following her gaze, Bessie whispered, "That's him, isn't it?"

Ruth did not answer directly because the dragoons had reached them by this time. Marcus Tapp, noticing Ruth standing in the street, had signalled for the men to stop.

"Ruth," Tapp rumbled in his deep voice. "You really shouldn't be out on the streets this late at night. It's not entirely safe."

"I just stepped out for a breath of air," she told him. "The Tavingtons' home is right there." She pointed behind her at the well-lit home.

"Still, you should remain behind the gate after dark, unless you have an escort," he admonished her.

Not responding further to his concerns, she indicated Bessie and said, "Marcus, I'd like to introduce you to my best friend, Bessie Crawford, who also works for the Tavingtons." Turning to Bessie, she continued, "Bessie, this is Sergeant Major Marcus Tapp."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Tapp acknowledged briefly.

"Likewise," Bessie responded.

Tapp looked over at the Tavington house, scrutinizing it carefully. "Nice house," he said sourly. "I suppose they have you up in the attic."

"Actually, no, surprisingly enough," she said. "I have a nice room on the second floor, so I can be nearby to help with the Tavingtons' baby." Noticing Marcus' sour look, she quickly added, "It will be good practice for when I have our baby."

Tapp grunted, but did not otherwise reply.

"So, where are you billeted," she asked. "I hope you're not in a tent."

"Oh, no," he assured her with a wide smile. "I was able to pull some strings and I've been assigned to a very nice house about a block from here. It's called the Powell house. Colonel Tarleton owed me some favours, so he was able to arrange it for me."

"Oh, yes, I know the house well," Ruth replied, glad to know he would be near, despite all that had happened between them.

"Well, then, I'm glad to have found you," he said, giving Ruth an intense gaze "But I must be off." Tipping his dragoon helmet to the women just before signalling to his horse to go, he said, "Ladies…"

As the two women watched the dragoons continue down the street, Bessie told Ruth, "He's crazy about you, Ruth. He'll be coming back to you soon, mark my words."

"Do you really think so?" Ruth asked, uncertain. "How could you tell?"

"It's in his eyes," Bessie said. "He's hopelessly smitten."

"I certainly hope you are correct," Ruth said, sighing audibly.

Unbeknownst to the two women and Marcus Tapp, the entire exchange had been observed from a window on the second floor of the Tavington home. As Tapp and his men rode away, Mary Bordon let the curtain drop, an idea forming in her head. Humming to herself as the idea elaborated itself in her mind, Mary lit a candle, then sat to wait patiently for James to return from his meeting with the Colonel.


	51. A Volatile Proposition

**Thanks to LovesHistory for her input into this chapter**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Several days after their arrival in Charlestown, Mary Bordon was able to present her idea to her husband. She'd not had the right opportunity before this time, as Colonel Tavington had kept James busy with the setting up of the new command, as well as conferring several times with Lord Rawdon and his aides.

Plus, she'd had to thoroughly mull the idea over in her head, to make sure that this was what she really wanted to do. She'd ruminated almost constantly about it and was now convinced that this was the proper step to take for all concerned. Mary was convinced that the sooner she broached the subject to James, the sooner it could be made into reality.

Her opportunity came one mild day about a week and a half after their arrival. James had been given a rare afternoon off and the couple had decided to go for a walk, as the weather was unusually warm.

As they walked along the shoreline, looking at the ships in the harbour, Mary stopped and leaned against the iron fence. Finally ready to talk, she looked up at her husband and said, "James, I have something I need to discuss with you."

Seeing the serious expression on Mary's face, Bordon lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh? What is it?"

"This is something I've thought long and hard about, James," Mary began. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't interrupt me until I'm finished."

"All right," he agreed. Indicating a bench nearby, he said, "Why don't we go sit down while you tell me."

After they'd seated themselves, side by side, Mary took a deep breath as she considered how to begin.

"Do you remember a while back when I mentioned adopting a child to you?" Mary asked Bordon. "I've been thinking of that again, more often these days."

Bordon suppressed a sigh, then said, "Don't you think that is a bit premature? We've not been married even a year yet."

"Hear me out," Mary said, her voice sharp with irritation. "Normally, I would have done as you suggested, but then I thought of Ruth. She's unmarried and likely to stay that way. She's a servant, so she'll not be able to properly care for her own child." Grabbing Bordon's hand, she said, "But we could give her child a much better home than it would have had otherwise! We'd be doing Ruth a favour to take the child off her hands! It would be for the best for all concerned, I just know it!"

Bordon looked at her in incredulity, then remained silent for a long moment in order to carefully consider his words. Finally, he spoke.

"I know that your heart is in the right place, Mary," he said slowly. "Truly, it is. But I don't think it is a very good idea for us to attempt to adopt Ruth's child."

"Why ever not?" she demanded. "I think it's the perfect solution."

James Bordon gave in to the sigh this time. "You seem to forget that this baby isn't just Ruth's," he reminded her. "It's also Marcus Tapp's get and you know what kind of a man he is."

"So?" Mary challenged. "It will be an innocent baby who cannot help who his father is. If we adopt him then _you_ will be his father."

"It's not that simple, love," Bordon said patiently. ""As the old saying goes, the acorn doesn't fall from the tree. Blood will out, Mary, and that child has bad blood flowing through its veins. No matter how much we'd try, we can't overcome what is inborn to the child."

"Oh, that's simply nonsense," Mary protested. "You and I will love him and that will make all the difference. I'm also guessing that Marcus Tapp wasn't treated well as a child and that's why he's the way he is. I don't believe that any child is born bad."

"I don't really want to take the chance," Bordon said flatly. "We'd be in for much heartache if that child turns out to be just like his father."

"Please promise me that you'll at least consider it," Mary begged. "That's all I ask."

"I'll think about it, but I can't imagine that Tapp would be too keen on us in particular raising his child, especially if it's a boy," Bordon warned. "I'd not get my hopes up about this if I were you."

"I think if he cared anything at all about his child, he'd have done the right thing and married Ruth," Mary reasoned. "I don't think he's any more concerned with the fate of that child than is a stallion who ruts with a mare."

"You've also not considered how Ruth might feel about it," Bordon pointed out. "For all you know, she might want to keep the child, despite the difficulties."

"I'll persuade her that it's for her own good to give up the child," Mary insisted. "Perhaps Charlotte can make her see reason."

"That might be a good idea to talk to her," Bordon agreed. Privately, he was hoping that the sensible Charlotte Tavington might be able to talk Mary out of this ill-advised notion.

Mary Bordon was not able to discuss the matter with Charlotte for several days, as she'd not been able to catch her without Ruth being around. She wanted to get Charlotte's advice first before even broaching the topic with Ruth. Charlotte knew Ruth best and would likely be able to advise her on how to approach Ruth with her proposal.

One morning, about four days after Mary had first brought up the idea of adoption to her husband, Ruth and Bessie had left the house shortly after breakfast to go get some vegetables for the cook.

No sooner had the two servants left the Tavington home, than Mary slipped into the library where Charlotte sat placidly feeding baby William.

"I need to ask your advice about something," Mary said abruptly as she took a seat opposite the nursing mother.

Charlotte raised an eye at the other woman, as Mary had spent very little time with her since they'd arrived in Charlestown. She sighed audibly, then asked, "What is it, Mary? It sounds important."

"It is," Mary affirmed. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "I've been thinking it over for a few weeks, and I've decided I want to adopt a baby."

"Oh?" Charlotte said, frowning. "Don't you think you're being rather premature about this? You should give yourself more time to conceive, I would think."

"Well, you see, I want to adopt Ruth's baby," Mary said, now warming up to the subject. "Don't you see - it would be the best for all concerned. That scoundrel Tapp isn't going to marry Ruth and make an honest woman out of her. And trying to raise that baby on her own will ensure that no other man will want her, either. I'll really be doing her a favour by adopting her baby. I'll be able to give him the life Ruth never will be able to."

"I can't imagine that Ruth would see it quite that way," Charlotte said dryly. "She's given every indication that she wants this baby very much."

"Oh, she'll change her tune rather quickly once the baby comes and she finds out that it's not like playing with a little doll," Mary said dismissively. "Really, I think I know what's best for her."

Charlotte was speechless for a moment, not quite knowing how to respond to Mary's disdain for Ruth. After a long moment, she asked carefully, "What does Captain Bordon think of this idea?"

"He's not overly enthusiastic about the idea," Mary admitted. "He thinks the child will have 'bad blood' because of who his father is." Heaving a loud sigh, she added, "But he did promise to think about it. He didn't categorically say no."

"Perhaps you ought to heed his advice," Charlotte said. "Captain Bordon is usually rather wise."

"I have my heart set on adopting," Mary said doggedly.

"Then perhaps you might consider adopting another child?" Charlotte suggested. "I'm sure there are plenty of orphaned children in Charlestown."

"Perhaps," Mary said, pressing her lips together tightly. "But I would really prefer to adopt Ruth's baby."

"It's your decision what you want to do, of course," Charlotte said noncommittally. "But if I were you, I'd not give up hope just yet about having your own baby. I believe it will happen if you just give it some time."

As she left the library a few minutes later, Mary was not undeterred by Charlotte Tavington's lukewarm reception to her idea. Charlotte simply did not understand how she felt. Indeed, sitting there smugly with her own baby safely at her breast, how could she even begin to comprehend Mary's anguish?

Later that day, Mary Bordon encountered Ruth walking by herself in the second floor corridor. No one else was around: the men had gone to another meeting and Charlotte was downstairs, going over the dinner menu with the cook.

"Ruth, I need to have a word with you, if I may," Mary said as she emerged from her bedroom to confront the young woman. Noting Ruth's wary expression, she said, "It won't take but a few moments."

"All right," Ruth said curtly. "But then I must return to my duties."

"Please, sit down," Mary said a moment later after she'd closed the library door behind them.

Ruth lowered herself to sit stiffly on the edge of a chair opposite the sofa that Mary Bordon had chosen . She was suspicious about what the other woman might want with her, as she'd not spoken more than two words with her ever since she'd been involved with Marcus Tapp.

Taking a deep breath and not quite sure how to proceed, Mary decided to plunge ahead and take the direct approach.

"So, have you given any thought about what you want to do about your baby?" Mary asked bluntly.

"Do about my baby?" Ruth repeated in indignation. "Why, I'll love and take care of him…or her…of course!"

"Have you considered how difficult that will be for an unmarried woman?" Mary pointed out. "As it looks as if the father of your baby has no intention of ever marrying you."

Ruth's eyes narrowed, then she retorted, "I can hardly see where this is any of your concern."

"But I _am_ concerned," Mary said unctuously. "Your baby is innocent and will deserve a good home; one that you cannot afford to give in your present circumstances. You can hardly expect another man to marry you once you have had a child without the benefit of marriage. Why, you will be a pariah, my dear!"

Ruth sat there in open mouthed shock, not knowing just how to respond to the other woman's effrontery.

"Captain Bordon and I are prepared to adopt your child and give him that good home," Mary continued, oblivious to Ruth's reaction. "You have to admit that we can give your child all the advantages in life that you could never even begin to provide. Really, it's the best solution for everyone. Your child will get a loving home and you will be free to find a decent man this time and get married."

"No!" Ruth exclaimed loudly, jumping up from the chair, almost knocking it over. "You can't have my baby! I won't let you take him!"

"Now, now," Mary tutted. "I do think I know better what's right for you and your baby. Your mind is simply clouded with emotion and what is needed here is…"

Mary never got to finish what she was saying, as Ruth stormed from the room and hurried down the stairs. Throwing open the door to the front courtyard, she ran out into the street. She simply had to get away from Mary Bordon as she knew if she'd stayed, she would have ended up attacking the presumptuous woman.

As she closed the iron gate behind her after entering the street, Ruth was frantic. She knew that Mary Bordon would not give up easily with her plans to take the baby - the woman was like a dog with a bone once she got an idea stuck in her head. And though Miss Charlotte had been good to her ever since she'd become pregnant, Ruth also knew that rich people tended to stick together, as they all had the common attitude that they knew better about how to handle everything in life than did their servants or slaves.

"Marcus!" she whispered to herself. Ruth knew she must find Marcus right away and tell him what was going on. She knew that even though he did not want to marry her, he would not want the Bordons to be raising his child, as she knew he especially despised the couple for their high-handed ways.

She hurried down the street to the Powell home, hoping that Marcus would be there. As she knocked on the door to the home a short time later, her heart beat fast in apprehensive anticipation.

The door was opened a moment later by a bald, rawboned infantry sergeant, whose facial expression turned into a leer as he beheld Ruth standing on the doorstep.

"Well, missy, have you come to cheer up some lonely sergeants, eh?" the sergeant said, still grinning. "Come in with you, then."

Hesitating at the door, she looked around him to see if she could see Marcus inside. "I've come to see Sergeant Major Tapp," she explained nervously.

"Ah, well, he's busy right now, if you know what I mean," the sergeant said, winking at her. "You'll have to get in line to see him." Giving her an evil smile, he added, "Maybe I can take care of what you need instead?"

This was what Ruth had been afraid of. Now, feeling helpless and frustrated, she burst out into tears.

As the infantry sergeant gave her a puzzled look, a door behind him opened to reveal a half-dressed Marcus Tapp.

"Ruth?" he called, coming out of the room and closing the door with a decisive click. "What's wrong?" Tapp knew that Ruth would not have come here unless it was something of the utmost urgency, as she'd not sought him out since he'd left her.

Turning to the shorter infantry sergeant, he leaned close and muttered, "Go in there and finish things up for me, would you? I think I'm going to be busy here for awhile."

The other man hastened to comply, not minding that he was getting Tapp's leavings.

Gesturing to a seat by a table, Tapp said, "Have a seat and tell me what it is. I know it has to be something important for you to swallow your pride to come look for me."

Ruth looked up at him, wearing nothing but his breeches and boots and thought of just how well he knew her.

Taking a moment to collect herself, Ruth took a deep breath and cried, 'It's Mistress Bordon! She told me just now that she wants to adopt our baby! She basically said that I wouldn't be fit to take care of him!"

Marcus sat silent for a long moment, his eyes narrowed. Suddenly, he kicked one of the chairs over, breaking one of the legs.

"Damn her and damn her Jack-pudding husband!" Tapp roared. "I promise you, Ruth, that they'll get our child over my dead body!"

Turning back to the door he'd recently come out of, he said. "Wait here for me to get the rest of my clothes. I'm going back with you to let them know in no uncertain terms that I'll never sign the baby over to them. Bloody hell, it's not our problem that Bordon is shooting blanks!'

"No, it isn't!" Ruth agreed vehemently.

Tapp went back into the other room for the rest of his clothes, paying no attention to the rutting couple within, who, in turn, paid no attention to him. Within a moment, he returned to where Ruth waited to finish dressing.

Within moments the two were on their way back to the Tavington home. They walked, as Tapp was furious and knew he needed to walk off at least some of his ire, so that he'd not end up doing anything he might later regret.

As they entered the Tavington's courtyard through the iron gate, they found Bordon and Mary standing outside, as Bordon had just handed off his horse to a waiting servant.

"Captain Bordon, I need to have a word with you," Tapp growled as he stalked right up to his superior officer.

Bordon turned to look at the irate Sergeant Major and expelled a supercilious sigh. Mary had just told him what she'd suggested to Ruth a short time before, so he had a very good idea of what was bothering the lean sergeant. Bordon was a bit put out at Mary for broaching the topic with Ruth without his permission, but there was no way he'd let Tapp know that. It was better to appear like a united front.

"I suppose we'd best settle this now," Bordon agreed in a tight voice.

"You're damned right we're going to settle this now," Tapp roared, moving closer to the more powerfully built man.

Ruth stood close behind Marcus, proud that he was defending her, as it indicated that he felt more for her than he'd even admit to himself. But she prayed that he'd not go too far and end up being broken down in rank.

"Get this through your thick skull right now," Tapp continued, his ire only building. "There's no way in hell that I'd ever allow the two of you to raise any child of mine." Sneering disdainfully, he added, "It's not my problem or Ruth's problem if you're not man enough to give your woman a bellyful."

With an evil grin, he turned his pale blue eyes on Mary Bordon, who shrunk back from him in revulsion. "_I'm surprised Bordon didn't come to me to ask me to cover her to get the job done right_," he thought to himself. "_But I'd not have done that either, as the woman looks too much like the mares her first husband raised_." Tapp laughed out loud at this private thought.

Bordon glared at Tapp, seething in controlled anger. "And you're not man enough to marry Ruth and take responsibility for her condition," Bordon shot back. "We only wanted what's best for the child and us adopting him would have been for the best for the two of you as well."

"Don't give me any of that bloody tripe!" Tapp roared. "Whether or not I marry Ruth, is none of the bleedin' business of any Jack-pudding fop like you! Your lot thinks that those of us in the ranks aren't clever enough to even wipe our own arses without your help. You don't have any bloody idea at all what is best for either one of us." Chuckling malevolently, he said, "You'd have done better instead to seek my advice on just how get your bleedin' wife pregnant!"

Bordon lost all control at that point. His huge right fist shot out to knock down the insolent sergeant major, but Tapp had anticipated this and nimbly moved out of his way. Bordon was more powerful than Tapp, but Marcus Tapp was more agile than the other man.

But no sooner had he balled his own fist, than it was caught from behind and held fast by Colonel Tavington. Captain Wilkins, likewise, had stepped between him and Bordon to keep Bordon from throwing another punch.

"What is the meaning of this?" William Tavington thundered. "I come home from a hard day's work to find two of my best men brawling like rebels…" His voice trailed off.

Tapp spoke up first, "The Bordons, here, want to take Ruth's child away from her when it's born to raise it as their own. And I won't have it!"

Tavington raised an eyebrow at this. He knew that Mary Bordon had been obsessed lately with having a child, so Tapp's words rung true to him.

"Is this true, Bordon?" Tavington asked in exasperation. He'd told Bordon before to get his wife in hand before it interfered with his duties.

"We thought we'd be doing Ruth a favour by giving the child a good home," Bordon explained.

Tavington held up a hand to let Bordon know he had the story now. "You and I will talk this over in further detail after dinner, Captain," he said curtly. Turning to Marcus Tapp, he said, "You would have done better to bring this matter to me, instead of confronting Captain Bordon directly. Go back to your quarters and I will handle the matter."

"Yes, sir," Tapp said, giving Tavington a crisp salute.

Turning away from the Colonel, he took Ruth's hand and said in a low voice, "You're staying with me tonight." He wanted to make sure that Ruth would be safe until things calmed down a bit at the Tavington household.

Ruth nodded, following Tapp without a word.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

_**Historical note:** "Jack pudding" is a derogatory term for an officer used by those of the lower ranks._

.


	52. A Parting of the Ways

William Tavington followed James and Mary Bordon back into the house after Marcus Tapp had left, taking Ruth with him. He would talk with the sergeant major later, but first he needed to deal with Bordon.

As soon as the door had closed behind him, Tavington turned to Bordon and growled with barely controlled anger, "Upstairs. The library. Now." He could not wait until after dinner to handle this problem.

Mary looked up at her husband in worried concern, He patted her arm and murmured, "It will be all right," before following his commanding officer up the stairs.

As soon as the two dragoons had entered the library, Tavington closed the door behind them with a resounding click. After throwing his bearskin helmet on the sofa and seating himself behind his desk, he indicated with a careless wave of the hand that Bordon should sit.

No sooner had Bordon done so, than Tavington glared at his second in command and snapped, "What in the bloody hell just happened out there, Bordon?"

"Mary went to Ruth to help her out of her current predicament by offering to adopt her baby," Bordon began. "Ruth refused quite vehemently and apparently ran to Tapp immediately to tell him all about it. Tapp confronted me no sooner than I'd arrived back here and handed my horse off to the groom."

"When I arrived, I saw you take a swing at the man," Tavington said. "You are normally a sober and level-headed officer, Bordon. What on Earth did he say to make you lose control in such a fashion?"

"Err, I'd really rather not say," Bordon said, shifting uncomfortably at the reminder of Tapp calling his manhood into question right in front of Mary. "Let us just say that he impugned my honour."

"You will be more specific," Tavington said tightly, drumming his fingers impatiently on the desk. "That is an order."

"Tapp said that I should have come to him for advice on how to get Mary pregnant," Bordon reluctantly replied. "If duelling were still legal, I would have called him out for that!" After a moment, he said heatedly, "As it is, I demand that he be flogged for speaking to me in such a manner."

Tavington ignored Bordon's demand, then said coldly, "I thought I had told you to take your wife in hand, Bordon, as she's been affecting your concentration on your duty. It seems as if her obsession is now spreading and creating dissension in the ranks as well. Let me tell you this, Bordon, I simply won't have it. We have a job to do and I will not have your wife stirring up the men."

"I did not give Mary permission to speak with Ruth," Bordon stressed to Tavington in a weary voice. "She took it upon herself to do so."

"And you had no idea she intended to do it?" Tavington, asked raising an eyebrow.

"I knew she wanted to adopt, yes," Bordon admitted. "But I'd told her I had serious reservations about doing so, but I did promise to think about it when she pressed me on the matter."

"It would seem that you most certainly do not have the matter in hand, then," Tavington said severely. "I have an upset servant and an angry Sergeant Major because of your wife's careless behaviour and it must end immediately. Is that clear?"

"How do you intend to deal with Tapp?" Bordon demanded in a truculent tone. "A man of his rank has no business speaking to an officer in the manner he addressed me. He deserves to be flogged."

Bordon was about at the end of his patience with how Tavington had long been letting the insolent, amoral Marcus Tapp get away with doing pretty much whatever he wanted to do and especially how he'd he'd taken Tapp's side against him on several issues. Now, with Tavington essentially blaming him for the altercation with Tapp, it was the last straw for the red-headed dragoon.

"I believe I asked you if my orders were clear, Captain," Tavington gritted out. "And how I deal with Sergeant Major Tapp is my decision alone. But I will tell you that I have no intention of having him flogged."

"And why not?" Bordon demanded, his indignation building. "He was clearly in violation of regulations and should be flogged, which is the recommended punishment for insubordination."

"For one thing, it was your wife who instigated the problem," Tavington began. "Secondly, I don't blame Sergeant Major Tapp for his reaction. I cannot say that I would not have done the same thing if I were in his shoes. His only mistake was not bringing the matter to me and by confronting you directly. And lastly, you escalated the problem by resorting to fisticuffs. The fault lies largely with you and your wife and if you were not an officer it would be you who would be getting a punishment." Sighing loudly, Tavington said, "I suppose I must give him some sort of reprimand for not going through proper channels, but that will be as far as it goes."

"So, that is how it's going to be, then?" Bordon said coldly, "You're going to ignore regulations and let my authority be undermined in front of the men?"

"I must do what I think is right," Tavington insisted.

"And so must I," Bordon shot back. "You will have my request for transfer on your desk in the morning. I no longer wish to serve as your second in command."

"And I will accept that request," Tavington said sourly. "You are dismissed."

"Mary and I will be moving out as soon as I can obtain another billet, then," Bordon informed him before leaving the library.

Stalking down the hall to the bedroom he shared with Mary, he threw open the door to see her waiting anxiously inside.

"Pack your things, Mary," he growled at his wife. "We're moving!"

"What happened?" Mary asked, almost not wanting to know. "I could hear your raised voices but I couldn't tell what you were saying."

"Tavington took Tapp's side, that's what happened!" Bordon spat. "He said the incident was a our fault! I'm tired of it, Mary! He lets that bastard do whatever he wants to do whenever he wants to do it. This isn't the first time he's taken Tapp's side in a dispute and I, for one, am tired of having my authority undermined in front of the men."

"Oh, my," Mary said helplessly. "Where are we going to go?"

"I don't know just yet," her husband said. "Anywhere but here. I intend to put in for transfer first thing in the morning. I'll not stand by and remain in a unit where a Sergeant Major has more authority than a Captain."

"I don't blame you," Mary said loyally. "Perhaps it's for the best."

"It most certainly is for the best!" Bordon growled. "I should have done this a long time ago. Colonel Tavington is an excellent cavalryman and for that I've been glad to serve under him, but he's woefully lacking as a judge of character."

"I'm afraid you're right," Mary agreed, patting his arm sympathetically. "You deserve so much more than the way you've been patronized here."

"Perhaps Tarleton will have an opening for me," Bordon speculated. "I'll check at headquarters first thing in the morning."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ruth and Tapp had arrived back at the Powell home just in time for dinner. As they entered the home, Tapp guided her to the dining room and said, "Let's eat. A good argument always makes me hungry."

She followed him hesitantly to find six sergeants from various units sitting around the heavy oak table, which included the bald, rawboned sergeant she'd seen earlier.

"Another one for dinner, Hannah," Tapp said to a matronly, middle aged woman who had just set a large bowl of potatoes on the table. Hannah was the wife of an older sergeant seated at the other end of the table.

Tapp looked around and pulled an extra chair for Ruth from the corner and placed it by the one empty seat at the head of the table.

Ruth wasn't all that hungry, as she was still upset from what had happened that day. But she made herself eat, as she knew it was better for the baby if she did. She did not speak much, but allowed the ribald banter between the sergeants to pass right over her head.

A couple of the sergeants looked at Ruth, then smirked lewdly at one another as they noticed that Ruth appeared to be pregnant.

One of them turned to Tapp and said, "Much easier this way, huh, Tapp, because you don't have to worry about any by-blows if you bring one home who's already got herself a bellyful, eh?"

"Too late for that," Tapp replied dryly. "I'm afraid this one is my own handiwork."

All the men laughed heartily at this, with a couple of them clapping him on the back in congratulations. Hannah smiled at Ruth and said, "Oh, that's wonderful! I'm sure you'll make an excellent mother."

Both Ruth and Tapp felt rather uncomfortable by the congratulations of those around them, though Ruth gave Hannah and the rest of the group a hesitant, shy smile.

A short time later, after the couple had left the table, Ruth looked up at Tapp and said, "I'm awfully tired. Where will I sleep?"

He looked down at her with a lopsided grin. "Why, with me, of course! Where did you think you were going to sleep?"

"I wasn't sure if you ever wanted to sleep with me again," she said in a small voice, blushing in embarrassment.

"Of course I do," Tapp assured her, gazing down her with his pale eyes full of arousal. With a shrug, he added, "It's not as if I can get you pregnant twice, you know." Taking her hand, he said, "Come on, then. I think I'm up for an early night, myself."

"I don't want to inconvenience you," Ruth demurred, though not too strongly, for she ached to lie in his arms once again.

"It's no inconvenience at all, trust me on that," he said, chuckling lowly, as he leaned down to gently kiss her cheek. "I've missed lying with you."

"As have I," Ruth admitted with a glowing smile.

"And there's no way I'd let you sleep alone at this place," he warned her. "You'd have to fight off some of those randy sergeants during the night, so it's better if you simply stay with me where I know you'll be safe…from them, at least."

"But will I be safe from _you_?" she asked with a wicked smile playing about her lips.

"Most assuredly not" he replied, chuckling again, squeezing her hand.

"I was hoping you'd say that," she said, as he closed the door to his room behind them. It was the same room where she'd nursed Mrs Powell nearly a year before.

"What's wrong, Ruth?" Tapp asked as he caught the pensive expression on her face and she walked around the room closely surveying it.

"Oh, I'm fine, but I knew the woman who owned this house and I nursed her during her last months in this very room," she said wistfully. "She was one of Miss Charlotte's friends."

Tapp nodded briefly in acknowledgment, but didn't quite know what to say. Instead, he turned down the covers of the bed and took off his uniform jacket, carelessly throwing it on a nearby chair.

"I don't know about you, but I'm ready for bed," he hinted as he sat on the side of the bed to remove the rest of his clothing.

"It's a bit cold in here," Ruth said, shivering, a few minutes later, standing in only her shift.

"Come here," Tapp said, already lying in bed having avidly watched her as she'd removed her clothes. "I'll warm you up."

"I'm sure you will," she said, giggling, as she slipped gratefully under the blankets with the naked Marcus Tapp, who took her into his arms after pulling the covers over them.

As he bent his head to kiss her, he became suddenly aware of her pregnant belly between them. He slipped one hand over her belly, rubbing back and forth to get a complete sense of the child - his child - growing within.

"Here's one difference from the last time we were together," he murmured lazily. "Seems like he's going to be a big one." Ruth's pregnancy had not seemed entirely real to Tapp until this very moment.

"Of course he will," Ruth replied softly. "Just look at his father."

"When will the baby come?" Tapp asked.

"Late July or early August, I would think," Ruth said. "I've visited the midwife and she said I was doing well."

"Good, good," Tapp said nervously, his fears of commitment rising to the surface once again. His hand strayed to the bottom of her shift and under, leaning forward in order to feel her stomach without the barrier of cloth between them.

As he leaned forward, Ruth felt him, already rock hard, pressing against her thigh. She reached out to stroke him, eager after months of being deprived of his company. Her effort was rewarded by a low, needful groan from Tapp, who was now peeling off her shift.

He eased her down gently onto the mattress, then partially covered her to keep her warm. His warm hands explored the new contours of her body as his mouth took hers hungrily.

After a few moments of this exquisite torture, Ruth begged, "Please, Marcus. Now." She felt as if she'd go mad if she were not joined to him this very instant.

Fortunately, Tapp did not make her wait, and for the next half hour or so, she became well re-acquainted with the man she loved.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"What is going on up there?" Charlotte Tavington stood at the bottom of the stairs, hands on hips, as William appeared on the landing. "I heard raised voices and slammed doors." Pausing a second to take in more air, she asked, "And have you seen Ruth? I've been looking for her and she's not anywhere in the house!"

"Come in here, and I'll tell you," Tavington said, leading her into the dining room, then shutting the door behind them. The table was set and servants were already placing dishes on the table. "It's a bit of a long story."

As the couple seated themselves around the dinner table, Tavington began, "It seems as if Mary took it upon herself to tell Ruth that she wouldn't be fit to raise her own child and that she should give the baby to her and Captain Bordon to raise."

"Oh, dear" Charlotte said, frowning. "Mary mentioned to me that she wanted to do this and I'm afraid I didn't take her quite seriously. I can't imagine that Ruth took this very well."

"No, she didn't," Tavington replied with a mirthless laugh. "She was terrified and ran straight for Tapp."

"I suppose I can safely guess that the Sergeant Major was even less pleased than Ruth by Mary's proposition," Charlotte said, then took a bite of food.

"You could safely say that, yes," Tavington said with a wry expression. "Tapp was livid. Bordon had left for home a few minutes before I did and by the time I got here, I found Tapp and Bordon in a heated argument. I came through the gate just in time to see the captain throw a punch at Tapp. I managed to stop it before Tapp could retaliate."

"That's not like the captain at all!" Charlotte remarked. "He's usually so calm and collected, no matter the situation."

"Mary has him off balance with this baby obsession of hers," Tavington confided. "It's been adversely affecting the performance of his duties for months. In fact, I'd even previously ordered him to get the matter under control."

"It would seem as if he did not," Charlotte observed. "I feel sorry for Mary, but I can see where her preoccupation could distract Captain Bordon. She's changed quite a bit over the last few months to the point where she made me feel uncomfortable around her simply for having a baby of my own. I sympathize with her feelings, considering that I lost my own first baby, but I refuse to feel guilty for the baby I now have."

"Nor should you feel that way," Tavington assured her.

"So what happened upstairs just now?" Charlotte asked again. "And Ruth, where is she?"

"Ruth went back with Tapp to his billet for the night," Tavington reported. "I think Mary Bordon really frightened her."

"And the sergeant major allowed that?" Charlotte asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It was his suggestion," Tavington told her.

"Well, it would appear as if maybe one thing might work for the best here," Charlotte said. "It seems as if Marcus Tapp cares for Ruth, after all, if he is seeking to protect her."

"Perhaps," Tavington agreed sourly. "Or perhaps he simply wants to spite Bordon. But you may be right, considering he risked his career to protect her."

"Are you going to punish him?" Charlotte asked anxiously.

"No," Tavington said. "Bordon demanded that I have him flogged, but that's not going to happen. Tapp isn't the one who started it, nor did he throw the first punch. And he did what I would have done if someone had treated you in a similar manner. It's hard to fault a man protecting the mother of his child."

"I don't suppose Captain Bordon was satisfied with that explanation," Charlotte surmised.

"No, not at all," Tavington said. "In fact, he has asked for a transfer to a different unit."

"And did you accept the request?" Charlotte asked.

"I did," he replied. "I think it may the best thing for all concerned if Bordon made a fresh start elsewhere. He's a good officer and I'll miss him, but he's shown that he cannot keep his mind on his duties and I don't need a second in command who is not focused."


	53. Changes

Early the next morning, William Tavington had his first cup of tea at his desk in the library, while he did some paperwork before breakfast. As he sat down to wait for Matthew to bring the teapot, he found Bordon's request for transfer waiting, just as the captain said it would be.

Sighing loudly, Tavington scanned the request perfunctorily, then dipped his pen in the ink bottle and hastily scribbled his signature at the bottom in approval. It was a shame he was losing Bordon, but his presence was not so crucial now that his dragoons had been removed from front line duty and had been relegated to a largely defensive role. From now on, he would need the skills of Captain Wilkins much more than he needed Bordon's talents.

Tavington feared that losing the war was now a foregone conclusion or else the Lord General would never have removed Tavington and his men from the front lines. He would continue to do his duty as always, but now it was more a matter of going through the motions out of an ingrained sense of duty than any real convictions. His concerns were increasingly turning to making provisions for where and how his small family would live after the war.

As Matthew appeared a moment later with a small teapot, Tavington asked, "Have you seen Captain Bordon yet this morning?"

"Yes, sir," Matthew replied. "He left about a half hour ago, saying he had some urgent business to attend to."

"Didn't waste any time, did he?" Tavington mumbled under his breath after the servant had left the room. "Ah, well."

Twenty minutes later, Tavington went downstairs to join Charlotte for breakfast in the dining room and found her alone at the table.

"Good morning, love" he greeted as he leaned over to give her a peck on the cheek before taking his place at the head of the table. "Mary didn't come down for breakfast, I see."

"No, I've not seen her," Charlotte added. "And she usually gets up at the same time I do."

"I suspect that she's waiting for me to leave before she comes down," Tavington said dryly. "I don't imagine she holds me in very high regard just about now." He shrugged his shoulders to indicate that he wasn't overly fussed about the matter, one way or the other. "Matthew told me that Bordon left out of here nearly an hour ago."

"I suppose he's seeing to new lodgings for them," Charlotte said. Patting his hand with a smile, she added, "And this will be the first time since we've been married that we'll have the entire house to ourselves!"

"It will be nice," her husband agreed. "But don't be too loud talking about it, as I suspect the army would immediately send new people to billet with us."

"No doubt," Charlotte chuckled. "Have you seen Ruth yet this morning? I fed little Will just before coming downstairs for breakfast and left him with Bessie, but I really feel better when Ruth is watching him."

"As you know, she spent the night with Tapp, so I'd not expect her too early," Tavington observed. "They've not been together - in the Biblical sense - for quite some time and are no doubt making up for lost time." Giving his wife a naughty look, he said, "I know you and I wouldn't leave the bedroom for a week if we'd been apart for several months."

"Nevertheless, I need her home soon," Charlotte said, frowning. "I need Bessie to be doing other things and Ruth is the best one with the baby."

"I need to have a word with Tapp some time this morning, anyway," he told her. "I'll send someone down to tell him to report to me here at the library and that will no doubt bring Ruth home as well."

"Perfect solution," Charlotte said smiling as the two settled back to enjoy their breakfast.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

James Bordon spent most of the morning canvassing Charlestown looking for suitable accommodations for his small family.

He'd gone to army headquarters first thing that morning to see what openings were available for a man of his rank and abilities. There were no openings, unfortunately, with Tarleton's dragoons. However, there was a rumour that John Simcoe of the Queen's Rangers would be needing a new hussar major soon, as the one he had was ailing and there was the question that the man might give up his place and sail home. Bordon had dashed off a quick note to Simcoe, expressing interest in the position, should it become available, and sent it off with a courier heading north. Bordon had briefly served with Simcoe in the northern campaign as a Lieutenant before transferring to Tavington's Green Dragoons, so he had high hopes should Simcoe actually need a man.

Meanwhile, he was becoming increasingly frustrated in his search for a new billet. He'd gone to several places but there was something unsuitable about each one. Several places took single officers only, while many others were for enlisted personnel, and the few that were suitable were full.

But he kept on looking, because to continue to live with the Tavingtons was out of the question. He didn't know how long it would take to get an answer from Simcoe - or even if he actually had an opening available - but continuing to live with the Tavingtons while waiting would be completely unacceptable in Bordon's book. If need be, they'd pitch a tent to live in.

Finally, as he was about to give up looking, he found a small, dilapidated house on the outskirts of town that would be marginally acceptable for a short time stay, especially considering that it was already furnished. At least they would have the house to themselves and, best of all, there would be no Tavingtons. The home had two bedrooms, plus a garret space for a servant, which he intended to hire at the earliest opportunity to do the cooking and light cleaning.

After Bordon had turned his now-tired horse to head slowly back toward town, he began ruminating about his abrupt change in fortune the night before. He'd been quite surprised when Tavington had turned on him so completely and sided with Marcus Tapp. It had been such a blatant case of insubordination that could not, in Bordon's eyes, be explained away.

The more he continued to brood about it, however, certain things slowly became clear to him, things that had always been there, but Bordon had been oblivious to up until this point. And the more he thought about it, the more he chastised himself for not noticing earlier.

The truth was that William Tavington and Marcus Tapp were two birds of a feather. It suddenly dawned on Bordon that if not for his high birth and privileged background, William Tavington would have been nearly indistinguishable from Marcus Tapp in manner, outlook, and attitudes. This had never been more apparent than with the unspeakable brutality in Pembroke that Tavington had authorized and Tapp had been in charge of carrying out. Though he'd been loath to call it what it was at the time, he'd still been uncomfortable with Tavington's casual brutality after leaving Pembroke.

They were both hard, cruel men, the only difference being that Tavington had the veneer of civilization and could be called a gentlemen only because of the accident of birth. Now that he'd acknowledged this simple truth, it was no wonder that Tavington got along so well with Tapp and sided with him on nearly every issue. They were kindred spirits

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Marcus Tapp slowly awakened at mid-morning, stretching and yawning lazily like a big cat. He didn't know the last time he'd slept so well. Tapp glanced down at Ruth, who was still asleep and curled up contentedly against him, with decidedly mixed feelings.

He had missed her. God, he had missed her. And he hadn't realized how much until they'd lain together the night before. They'd made love several times, with him taking her as a thirsty man coming out of a desert drinks water.

The unfamiliar tender feelings that Ruth was now generating in him, made Marcus nervous and apprehensive. He'd always valued his freedom and being his own man, entirely unfettered by domestic bonds and obligations. He saw what blind love had done to his mother; had left her alone and bereft, destroying her common sense as she pined after his uncaring father, so he had determined at a young age that he wanted none of it.

He still had his manly needs, of course, and they'd been a powerful itch all during his adult life that required frequent scratching, but he'd always held himself as aloof as possible from becoming emotionally entangled, never allowing any one woman to get too close to him. It had worked well for him his entire adult life and though his resolve to keep his distance from Ruth was now cracked down the middle, he still could not give in completely to her love. There was a part of him that had to remain free to come and go as he pleased, if he were to remain true to himself.

Ruth awakened seconds later and she, too, yawned at length. "Good morning, Marcus," she said sleepily, smiling shyly up at him.

"Good morning, yourself," he said with a lopsided grin. Leaning down to cover her again, he said, "So, how about another go before we start the day, hmm?"

"Nothing I'd like more," she said, grinning fiercely, as she opened her arms and her legs to accept him once more.

About a half hour later, as they cuddled together in afterglow, a knock came at the door.

"What is it?" Tapp called out in irritation from the bed, not bothering to get up and answer the door.

"Colonel Tavington needs to see you at his home as soon as possible," one of the other sergeants called through the door.

"All right," Tapp replied. "I'll be there as soon as I get dressed."

"Oh, I forgot all about what happened yesterday," Ruth said, as Tapp swung his legs off the side of the bed, then reached to the floor to get the breeches he'd discarded the night before. "Do you think you're going to get in trouble?"

"I could," Tapp told her honestly. "But I think if that was going to happen, Tavington would have seen to it last night. He's not been one to wait to hand out punishments in all the time I've served under him."

"I'm sorry I got you involved in all of this," Ruth said worriedly. "I'd hate to see you get flogged or something else because of me."

Taking her in his arms, he leaned his forehead against hers and said, "It's not your fault, Ruth. I did what I did because it's right for me to protect you and I'd do it again." After leaning down to give her a brief kiss, he carelessly added, "So what if Bordon got his feelings hurt? He'll get over it."

"All the same, I love you for it and I hope the Colonel isn't too angry." This was the first time Ruth had ever spoken the word "love" to him and her heart began to beat madly as soon as the word had passed her lips.

"It will be all right," he repeated, feeling distinctly uncomfortable at hearing her speak the word, even though he knew deep down that she loved him. He turned to gather the rest of his clothing as she rose from the bed to dress.

"I'm going back with you," she said. "I left yesterday without telling Miss Charlotte, so I need to see if she needs me for anything."

"I imagine she's been told where you went," Tapp told her.

"I'm sure she'll need me to help with the baby," she said. "It's been good practice for me to take care of little Will. I won't have any trouble knowing what to do once our own baby comes."

"No doubt," he agreed. "I'm sure you'll do just fine."

As they entered the courtyard to the Tavington home a short time later, Ruth reached up to give Tapp a kiss before they went inside. "Good luck, Marcus," she whispered. "I'll be nearby if you need me."

The butler, Matthew, met the couple at the door as they came in.

"Miss Charlotte has been looking everywhere for you," the butler said in hushed tones to Ruth. "She is upstairs in the nursery."

Ruth glanced at Tapp and back again to Matthew, then shrugged as if to say, "_You know how it is_."

Turning to Tapp, Matthew asked, "Are you Sergeant Major Tapp?"

"Yes, I am," the tall dragoon replied.

"Colonel Tavington is upstairs in the library waiting for you, sir," the butler said. "Right this way."

"Ah, there you are, Tapp," Tavington called out from his desk as soon as Matthew had announced the sergeant major a few moments later. "Do come in and be seated."

"Would you like some tea or coffee," Tavington offered after Tapp had taken a seat.

"Coffee, sir," Tapp replied.

"So, tell me about the altercation between you and Captain Bordon yesterday, Tapp," Tavington said, leaning back in his chair as he sipped his tea.

"I was back at my billet, minding my own business," Tapp began. "Ruth turned up out of the blue, terrified out of her mind that Captain Bordon's wife was going to make her give up her baby, telling her that she wasn't fit to raise it."

"Go on," Tavington urged.

"I didn't like that at all, so I came back with Ruth to help her out," Tapp continued. "I wanted to make it completely clear to the Bordons that as long as there was breath in my body that such a thing would never happen." Taking a deep breath, he looked squarely at Tavington and added, "Begging your pardon sir, but I know how some high class people get when they get something they want to do stuck in their heads."

"No offense taken, Tapp," Tavington said indulgently, knowing exactly how obsessive Mary Bordon was. "Do continue."

"I knew I had to be quite blunt about it if I wanted to make my point clear, if you get my meaning," Tapp went on.

"That I do," Tavington said, repressing the urge to chuckle.

"Captain Bordon didn't care a thing at all about what I had to say, so he took a swing at me, but I was able to dodge him easily enough," Tapp concluded. "And that's when you came in."

"You do know that Captain Bordon demanded that you be flogged for insubordination," Tavington told him.

"Yes, sir," Tapp said, looking his commanding officer directly in the eyes. "I'm willing to take any punishment you want to give me, as long as it keeps Ruth safe and our baby in her keeping."

"There will be no punishment this time," Tavington told him. "I've been called many things in my time, but I'm not a hypocrite and I won't punish a man who did exactly what I would have done if I'd been in his shoes."

"Thank you, sir," Tapp said in quiet gratitude.

"But let this stand as an unofficial reprimand," Tavington said. "That is, you were wrong not to bring this matter to me and to allow me to sort the problem out. It was not your place to confront Captain Bordon directly. If something of a similar nature happens in the future, you are to come directly to me. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Tapp replied, keeping the insolent grin he was feeling off his face. "Thank you, sir."

"Another thing," Tavington said. "You are to keep the details of what happened to yourself. Only you, Captain Bordon, Captain Wilkins, and the women know what happened last night and I'd like to keep it that way. I am making a break with proper protocol with how I chose to handle the matter. As I do not want a rash of enlisted men inspired to challenge officers in light of this, you are not to speak of it to anyone."

"Yes, sir, I understand," Tapp said, now wanting to chortle in glee.

"One last thing before you go," Tavington added. "Captain Bordon has requested transfer because of how I chose to handle this matter, so you would be well advised to feign ignorance when the news becomes common knowledge among the men. The real reason why the captain is leaving must never be divulged."

"Yes, sir," Tapp repeated.

"That is all, Tapp," Tavington said, "You are dismissed."

As Marcus Tapp strolled out of the library, feeling quite satisfied with himself and his place with the Green Dragoons, he met James Bordon coming down the hallway to his room. Looking the man boldly in the eye, he gave him a wide insolent grin, but said nothing as he turned to swagger to the staircase to leave.

It took all of James Bordon's self- control to keep from knocking the man down the stairs, but he knew Tavington could see out into the corridor and he didn't want to give neither him nor Tapp the satisfaction of a reaction, so he coldly turned away, intent on getting Mary and Susan out of this house for good.

"Oh, there you are," Mary said breathlessly as he entered the bedroom. "I thought you'd never get back."

"Have you been in here the entire time I've been gone?" he asked. "Did you not even go downstairs to breakfast?"

"I could not bear to face Charlotte or look at that man," Mary told him, sneering indignantly "I'm afraid I'd not have been able to keep my mouth shut and I didn't want to make things worse for you."

"You must be terribly hungry," he said.

"Oh I sent a maid down to get a tray for me and Susan," she said airily. "We've both eaten."

Looking around the room, he remarked, "And I see you have everything packed and ready to go. "Well done, indeed." Leaning down to give her a quick kiss, he said, "I've found us a small house to stay in that we'll have all to ourselves. It's a bit shabby, but it's fully furnished and will be good enough until my transfer comes through."

"That doesn't matter," she said. "I'd be willing to go back to living in a tent if it meant we'd have our own privacy."

"It shouldn't be for too long," he promised her. "I heard that there might soon be an opening for a hussar major in Simcoe's Queen's Rangers, and I've already sent a notice of my availability to him. I'm quite prepared to purchase my majority, if need be, but I've served under Simcoe before and I'm almost certain he will be willing to simply promote me on merit."

"Oh, how wonderful," Mary said, clapping her hands together.

"Let's go," Bordon said, picking up a couple of bags. "I'm done with Tavington and the Green Dragoons."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

**Historical note**: _ In 1777, John Graves Simcoe was given command of the Queen's Rangers, a light infantry unit comprising of 11 companies of 30 men, 1 grenadier and 1 hussar, and the rest light infantry. The Queens Rangers saw extensive combat in the northern campaign of the war, before being transferred south. Like Tarleton's Legion, they wore green jackets and light colored breeches. Simcoe was captured in late 1779, but was later freed in a prisoner exchange, when he rejoined his unit in Virginia, where the unit continued to fight until the surrender at Yorktown. Hussars, like dragoons, were a form of light cavalry._


	54. A Day of Miracles

Over the next several months, Ruth Moore and Marcus Tapp danced an elaborate minuet around just exactly what the nature of their relationship was. Ruth knew just what she wanted out of the relationship with her baby's father, but as the time drew nearer for their child's birth, Marcus Tapp remained infuriatingly inconsistent.

Shortly after the Bordons had departed to join the Queen's Rangers, Tapp had reverted to his previously aloof self, leaving Ruth to return to her duties with the Tavingtons as if nothing had happened. She saw very little of him in that first month, nor did they make love again during that time.

But then one fine spring morning, as Ruth was walking alone to the vegetable market, Marcus suddenly appeared beside her on horseback as if he'd never been away from her side. He'd taken her up on his horse to finish the marketing, then they'd gone for a ride culminating at the park overlooking the harbour, where they'd ended up making love behind a blooming magnolia.

After they'd finished, Ruth had plucked a blossom, which she had tucked in her Bible once she'd returned home, so she'd always have a keepsake of that idyllic day.

For the next two weeks, they'd spent each night together, with Ruth either joining him at his billet or, more often, with Tapp sharing her room at the Tavingtons. The Tavingtons, for their part, benignly tolerated Tapp's frequent appearances in their home, with Charlotte being willing to do anything that would increase Ruth's chances for an eventual marriage.

However, Marcus disappeared once more for a week and a half this time, before showing up again at the Tavingtons one night, with no explanation of his absence, this time being around for another two weeks before taking off again.

This on-again, off-again pattern continued for the rest of the summer leading up to Ruth's confinement, to her utter vexation. Early one hot summer morning, after Tapp had spent the night with her following a week's hiatus, he left to take a detachment out on patrol duty. After watching him ride away through her window, she went downstairs for breakfast.

As she passed the dining room on her way to the kitchen to eat with the other servants, she saw the Tavingtons already having their morning tea.

"Ruth," Charlotte Tavington called out as she caught sight of her maid.

"Yes, Miss Charlotte?" she replied, stepping slightly into the room, her profile now ungainly in late pregnancy.

"After breakfast, I want you to meet me in the nursery," the older woman said. "I've been wanting to get some needlework done and we can do it in there while little Will sleeps."

"Yes, Miss Charlotte," Ruth replied. "I'll see you upstairs shortly."

After Ruth had moved on, Tavington turned to his wife and said, "Was that Tapp I heard leaving just a little while ago?"

"Yes, I heard him come in late last night, after her not seeing him at all for about a week or so," Charlotte said, her voice betraying a note of slight irritation. "He's been doing this all summer - he'll spend several days with Ruth, then disappear again without explanation. I imagine it must exasperate Ruth so, not knowing what his intentions are toward her."

"Not so much so that she gives him an ultimatum," Tavington observed. "He's obviously meeting some need she has." He chuckled lewdly as he though of which obvious need that was.

"I'd like to see him make up his mind to do the right thing by her and give her a wedding ring," Charlotte declared. "That's why I've allowed him to stay here with Ruth without interference. But it all seems as if it's for naught, as he seems content to come and go as he pleases without commitment."

"If you want my opinion, I think Tapp does want to do the right thing, but he's having enough of a difficult time to go ahead and take that final step," Tavington opined. "I think every time he comes close to asking for her hand, it unnerves him and he disappears yet again."

"I think you may be right," Charlotte said, smiling. "I'm thinking the birth of their baby might be what it takes to get him to finally do it."

"You may be right," Tavington replied noncommittally, knowing that there was little to recommend marriage to a man of Tapp's temperament and class, considering there was no inheritance for him that hinged on him producing an heir.

"I would like to see Ruth settled before the war ends," Charlotte said. "If we're going to go to England when the war is over, she'll need to have some sort of situation in place before we leave."

"I'm sure the two of them will come to an agreement," Tavington said, as he wiped his mouth and got up to leave. "Now, I must be off, my dear, as duty awaits."

Half an hour later, Charlotte entered the nursery to find Ruth changing little Will's clothes.

"It's a good thing we made all those baby clothes at the fort," Charlotte remarked, once her baby son was dry and clean once more. "It seems as if little Will produces enough dirty linen to do a wash every day." Reaching her hands out for her son, she said, "Here, let me feed him, while you get started on the mending."

A few minutes later, Charlotte casually said, "I saw Sergeant Tapp leaving this morning. He'd not been to see you in awhile, had he?"

"Yes, I was kind of surprised to see him," she said "He'd been gone a week this time." She frowned as she pulled out some bad stitches to start over, then said, "He's been doing this for months now, ever since the Bordons left. First, he acts as if he loves me, then, for no rhyme nor reason, he becomes distant and aloof, after which he disappears for days on end. After which, he'll turn up again, as if nothing had happened and it starts all over again. I love Marcus dearly, but I'm afraid I just don't understand him at all! I don't know what he wants."

"That's just it," Charlotte told her. "I don't think he knows what he wants, either." Pausing to put the baby on her shoulder to burp, she added, "But I do know that he cares for you, probably more than he's cared for anyone, and that it probably scares him."

"Do you really think so?" Ruth asked in a hopeful tone.

"I think it's a rather safe bet," Charlotte said. "I'm guessing if he didn't care a thing for you, he'd have never come to your aid when Mistress Bordon wanted to adopt your baby,"

"Yes, that's true," Ruth said. "I've thought of that and this is why I'm trying to be patient with him; to give him time."

"Have you asked him about his absences?" Charlotte asked.

"I did, once," Ruth said. "It seemed to irritate him and he made some vague reference to his duty keeping him busy." Sighing loudly, she added, "But I know it's not just that."

"Men can often be rather enigmatic, I know," Charlotte said, smiling. "They often run from what is best for them."

"Colonel Tavington didn't run from you," Ruth pointed out sourly.

"William was ready for marriage when he met me, I think," the other woman said. "I suppose all men are different." Laughing softly, she added, "I did have a bit of a time getting my first husband to propose, though."

"I'll just be satisfied if it happens before the war ends and he goes back where he came from," Ruth said.

"I'm sure it will," Charlotte said brightly. "Just keep praying about it."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Early one steamy morning late in July, Mary Bordon awakened as soon as the sun had come up. Even inside the tent, it was too bright to sleep and even if it had not been, the quickly rising morning heat would have awakened her in any instance.

James had left before the sun was up, as they were moving yet again, this time by ship down the river to Yorktown. He would make sure the hussars under his command were ready to embark later that day.

As Mary sat up, stretching on her pallet, she hoped this would be the last move. Portsmouth was supposed to have been the last move, where Cornwallis had intended to construct a fortified base at a deep-water port. But James had told her the previous night that the Lord General had found Portsmouth inadequate for his needs, so they were to move, yet again, to Yorktown where fortifications would be made.

Since joining the Queen's Rangers, they'd been perpetually on the move, with both Tarleton's and Simcoe's men frequently detached from the main British forces to go on raiding expeditions, mainly to capture rebel supplies.

Mary felt dizzy and nauseated as she rose to awaken Susan for the day. She'd not felt all that well for several days, which she'd attributed to the beastly summer heat. Before she could step behind the partition where her only daughter slept, the nausea became so overwhelming that Mary needed to find the chamber pot, fast. Reaching it just in time, she threw up the remnants of the previous night's dinner, after which she sat back down on her pallet in order to collect herself.

Though Mary had not had a monthly in about two months, she didn't allow herself to think that she might be pregnant, not wanting to get her hopes up. It was more likely that she was coming down with one of the common sicknesses that had made its rounds through the army during the summer. Still, though, it would not hurt to check in with the doctor to see exactly what was wrong with her.

Two hours later, she had her answer. When she'd first arrived at the medical tent, the doctor had been busy getting the patients ready for the trip to Yorktown. But, at last, he'd been able to give her an examination and had told her the news she'd been afraid to even hope for.

Mary nearly floated back to her tent, where she found an exasperated James Bordon. He stood outside as she approached with hands on hips.

"Where have you been, Mary?" Bordon demanded. "Susan said you'd told her you'd be gone only a few minutes and it's been two hours. I was worried that something might have happened to you."

"Nothing is wrong, James," she said, beaming. "Nothing at all. In fact, everything is so, so right!"

"What is it?" Bordon asked, bemused.

"I'm…going to have a baby, James!" she announced. "I'm with child! Finally!"

"Are you sure?" he asked, opening his arms for her.

"Quite sure," she replied, glowing with joy. "I've just come from the doctor. He was busy and I had to wait for him to examine me. That's what took me so long."

"Oh, this is wonderful news!" he said, hugging her close. "See? I told you it would happen in its own good time!"

"You were right, thank God," Mary breathed. "Perhaps all it took was us leaving Tavington's command."

"Perhaps," he agreed,

"We should be holding our baby around the end of February, if my calculations are right," Marry added. "I can hardly bear to wait."

"The war should be over by then, God willing," Bordon said. "And perhaps we'll be settled in a permanent home by then."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

On the same hot July morning that Mary Bordon found out she was pregnant, Sergeant Major Marcus Tapp was making yet another interminable circuit around the perimeter of Charlestown. The duty itself was largely uneventful, as most of the rebel forces were either at Ninety-Six, quite a few miles to the northwest, or up in Virginia chasing Cornwallis' forces.

Tapp occasionally dealt with small groups of rebels attempting to get into the city to perform acts of sabotage. Tavington had given him free rein as to how to deal with such miscreants, so he simply strung them all up from the nearest tree. It was much simpler than when he'd been sheriff in New Jersey, where he'd had to take such lawbreakers to trial.

He had acquired a fearsome reputation in Charlestown and in the surrounding areas, soon becoming known as The Devil on Horseback. People would scatter when he and his hand-picked group of dragoons rode into view, and mothers threatened their misbehaving children with a visit from Marcus Tapp if they did not mend their ways.

William Tavington rarely rode patrols himself these days, confining himself mainly to administrative duties. From what Ruth had told Tapp, the Colonel's mind was now focussing on liquidating most of Charlotte Tavington's assets in South Carolina. Tavington wanted to ensure they'd have a tidy nest egg once they left the state at the end of the war, which now seemed most likely to lead to a rebel victory.

Marcus Tapp was also looking ahead to prepare himself for life after the war. As well as engaging in the King's business by rooting out rebel infiltration in and around Charlestown, he and his men took every opportunity to pillage and plunder. Tapp took 75% of everything stolen at the end of each day, with the remaining 25% divided among his men. He knew it was important that they profit as well, as it ensured that they'd keep their mouths shut about what they were doing.

He'd also set up Molly and some of the other camp whores into a house of their own, which was heavily patronized by British soldiers in Charlestown. Tapp got a healthy percentage of the earnings there as well. Being transferred to Charlestown had been a very good thing for the ambitious Marcus Tapp.

After several months of this, Tapp had built himself up a very nice nest egg that would allow him to take his time in finding a suitable position after the war. He'd already written to inquire if he'd be reinstated in his former sheriff's position in New Jersey, but it seemed as if his services were no longer desired because of him serving in a Loyalist unit. No matter, he'd thought when the reply came. He knew there would likely be opportunities in Canada, as many American Loyalists were already beginning to move their families there.

Inevitably, his fearsome reputation in town attracted a lot of women to his side. Some women offered themselves to him in order to spare their men folk from the hangman's noose, while others simply wanted the thrill of being with a dangerous man. He accepted a fair number of these offers, especially during the times he had pulled away from Ruth, but he occasionally came home to Ruth's bed reeking of the scent of another woman.

On this July morning, Tapp was thinking about Ruth as he and his men made a routine circuit around the city. He'd stayed three nights with her this week at the Tavingtons and knew the time was getting close for their baby to be born. It could come at any time now, Ruth had told him when he'd left the house that morning.

Marcus Tapp was scared witless of the impending birth of the child he'd planted inside of her in an evening of passion nine months ago. He did not wish to have any vulnerabilities that his enemies might use against him.

Yet, his naturally insatiable curiosity was nonetheless looking forward to the birth, to see what kind of a person he had sired. He'd lost a little sister when he was ten years old, and wondered if his own get would resemble her.

Later that afternoon, after he came out of Molly's brothel, after picking up his weekly share of the take and getting a bit of relief to calm his nerves, he was met by a dragoon private, who was not part of his marauding band.

"Sergeant Major Tapp!" the young man called out. "I'm glad I finally caught up with you! I've been looking all over town for you!"

"You've found me," Tapp said impatiently. "Now, what is so important that could not wait until I returned to my billet?"

"Mistress Tavington sent me to look for you," the private explained. "It's Miss Moore - she's in labour!"

"Thank you, Private," Tapp said sourly. "You have delivered your message. You may go."

After mounting up, instead of heading to the Tavington home, Marcus Tapp spurred his horse to the harbour. The moment of truth had arrived and he wasn't ready to deal with it. He headed for the same park where he and Ruth had recently made love. He dismounted by an iron fence that overlooked the harbour, then tied his black gelding to a nearby tree, where the animal bent its head to contentedly chew the grass there.

Tapp leaned against the fence, looking aimlessly out at the ships in the harbour as his mind wandered while he pondered just what exactly it was he wanted to do about Ruth.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Back at the Tavington home, Ruth Moore had been in labour for hours. As the day slowly dragged by in a haze of pain for the young woman, she became increasingly frantic as Marcus Tapp continued to remain absent from the house.

"Where is Marcus, Miss Charlotte?" Ruth wailed as another labour pain overtook her. "I need him here!"

"I sent Private Donaldson to find him hours ago," Charlotte told her. "Remember?"

"Then why isn't he here?" Ruth whined.

"Perhaps I'll go see what's keeping him," Charlotte promised. "Bessie will sit with you while I'm gone."

Charlotte found William in the dining room playing with their son as she came downstairs.

"How is it going up there?" he asked as she joined him at the table.

"Ruth has a while to go yet," Charlotte reported. "She's becoming increasingly agitated that Sergeant Tapp has not come to see her. I sent Private Donaldson out hours ago to look for him."

"Donaldson came by to tell me he'd found Tapp an hour and a half ago," Tavington reported. "He's had plenty of time to get here."

"Oh, dear," Charlotte said, frowning. "He's picked a bad time to disappear, I'm afraid. Ruth keeps calling for him."

Tavington sighed loudly. "Would you like me to go take another look, love? I promise you, I'll get him here."

"Thank you, darling," Charlotte said, kissing him on the cheek. "I can always depend on you."

Tavington rode out and searched fruitlessly for over an hour for the sergeant major before finally finding him at the harbour's edge, leaning up against the iron fence.

"Tapp," Tavington called out quietly after securing his horse to the same tree where Tapp's horse placidly waited.

Tapp turned slowly to acknowledge his superior officer. "Ruth sent you out to find me, eh, sir?"

"No, it was Mistress Tavington," Tavington said, chuckling.

The two men stood side by side in companionable silence for a long interval, both staring out to sea.

"For what it's worth, I think I understand what's going through your mind right now," Tavington eventually said.

"Do you?" Tapp said, raising one eyebrow sceptically.

"You are afraid of losing your freedom to live as you please if you take on the mantle of fatherhood," the other man supplied.

Tapp just looked at him, nodding in agreement.

"With some women, I think that would be a valid concern," Tavington said. "But from what I've observed of Ruth, it would be different with her." When Tapp did not comment, he continued, "She loves you, Tapp! God only knows why after how shabbily you've treated her, but there it is. I am quite convinced that she'll take you under any circumstances, without you having to sacrifice anything."

Tapp thought for a long moment, realizing the truth of Tavington's words. "All right, Colonel. Let's go back to the house."

As the two men entered the Tavington home a short time later, Charlotte was waiting for them at the door. She grabbed Tapp's arm and said, "Hurry! The baby is almost here!"

Marcus Tapp heard the thin wail of a baby's cry as he reached the top of the stairs a moment later. He hurried down to Ruth's door just in time to see Bessie come out.

"She's waiting for you," Bessie said shyly. "Go on in."

Removing his bearskin helmet, Tapp entered the room in time to see the midwife hand Ruth a small bundle wrapped in a blanket.

Ruth smiled shyly up at Tapp, then murmured, "Come meet our daughter, Marcus!"

After pulling a chair up to Ruth's bedside, Tapp looked down at the baby in Ruth's arms.

"She's beautiful, Ruth," he rumbled, noting that the baby girl did indeed resemble his long-lost sister. "I want to name her Martha, after my sister who died."

"I like that, Marcus," Ruth said, putting the newborn baby to her breast. "Martha Tapp, it is."

./\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_**Author's Note: ** Marcus Tapp was referred to as "The Devil on Horseback" by Margaret Lawrence, in whose books I first discovered him._


	55. Future Plans

A few weeks later, Captain Wilkins joined the Tavingtons for dinner one warm evening, as he had been doing fairly frequently since the Bordons had left. He'd been promoted to Tavington's second in command following Bordon's departure, thus now spent more time with his commanding officer than previously. Though he loved his sister, Mary, he'd wisely not taken sides when Bordon had broken with Tavington.

"Did I mention that I got a letter from Mary today?" Wilkins said to Charlotte midway through dinner.

"No, you didn't," Charlotte replied. "How is she getting along? I suppose she must be relieved to be settled in a town, now, at least for awhile."

"Oh, she had some good news for me," the tall dragoon replied, grinning broadly. "In fact, it was the very best of news. She wrote especially to tell me that she'd recently found out that she's with child."

"That's wonderful news!" Charlotte said, exchanging a glance with William. "Did she say when the baby would be born?"

"In March, she thinks," Wilkins told her. "She is most excited."

"I imagine she is," Charlotte said. "Please send her my best wishes in your return letter."

"I certainly will," he said. "I know she's missed you."

Turning to Tavington, Wilkins said, "I believe I might have found you a buyer for this house; one who would be willing to wait to take possession until you and Charlotte are ready to leave. They're even willing to buy all the furniture as well."

"Excellent," Tavington said. "Tell me all about it."

Charlotte took this as a signal to leave. "Well, I'll leave you gentlemen to your business," she said. "I must go check on little Will."

"How is he faring?" Wilkins asked politely. "I'll bet he's growing like a weed."

"That he is," Charlotte said, smiling. "He's a healthy little boy."

"I'll see you later for tea, love," Tavington told her. "I'll come up and say goodnight to Will in a little while as well."

"All right," she said, accepting a kiss on the cheek from him before leaving the room.

Charlotte found Ruth in the nursery a few moments later, sitting in a rocking chair as she fed her baby girl, Martha. Little Will was asleep in the bassinet next to her.

"Feeding her again?" Charlotte said, chuckling, as she entered the room. "The last time I saw you, you were in that chair doing the very same thing."

"Martha is insatiable, just like her father," Ruth said, gazing down at her dark haired daughter with love. The dark hair, combined with her pale blue eyes, made it obvious as to who the child's father was.

Picking her son up, then sitting beside Ruth, Charlotte said, "Oh, yes, little Will, too. I'll be so glad when he goes on solid food exclusively."

As the two women sat side by side, each basking in the glow of motherhood, Charlotte turned to Ruth and said, "You'll never believe what I just heard downstairs."

"Tell me," Ruth said, leaning forward a bit. "I've not heard any good gossip in awhile, except for the little things Marcus sometimes tells me."

"Well, Captain Wilkins came to dinner and he had a letter with him from his sister," the other woman confided. "It seems as if Mary Bordon is now pregnant."

Ruth's eyes widened and she shook her head slowly in disbelief. "That woman put Marcus and I through all that hell because she thought she couldn't have a baby." The young mother shook her head again. "Marcus put his career on the line to defend me, and then the woman turns up pregnant just a few months later."

"I know," Charlotte said, sympathetically. "I did try to tell her to be patient, that it would happen in its own time, as did her husband, but she wouldn't listen to either of us. She interfered with his career as well." After a long pause, Charlotte added, "I'm happy for her, of course, but wish she had not been so rash and impatient to have that child."

"I'm afraid I cannot have much sympathy for her," Ruth said. "I cannot forgive her wanting to take my child from me, despite things having turned out all right in the end."

"I understand," Charlotte said. "I still don't quite understand what got into her. When I'd known her years ago, she'd always been the picture of calmness and serenity."

"Ah, there you are." Marcus Tapp stood in the doorway, looking down on the two women. "The Colonel said I'd be able to find you up here." Nodding at Charlotte, he greeted. "Mistress Tavington."

"Sergeant Major Tapp," she replied in a pleasant tone, as she rose from the chair. "I believe I'll leave you two alone to visit while I take little Will out to see his father for a little while before I put him down for the night."

"Much obliged," Tapp rumbled as he took the seat that Charlotte had just vacated.

"Would you like to hold Martha?" Ruth said as she removed the baby girl from her breast and fastened her bodice. "Let me put a cloth on your shoulder so you can burp her."

"All right," Tapp said, holding his large hands out for the tiny baby.

"Let me put her on your shoulder," Ruth said, gently placing the baby onto her father's lean chest. "There. Now support her back with your hand and rub it gently with the other."

Ruth smiled with pleasure at the sight of the two people she loved most in the world.

"I can't think of a sight anymore beautiful than what I'm looking at now," she murmured as she watched Tapp awkwardly rubbing Martha's back, which was soon rewarded by a loud burp, followed by a bit of spit-up.

"Ugh, I think I'll let you take her back now," Tapp said, wrinkling his nose as he eased the baby down from his shoulder,

"It's just a bit of spit-up," Ruth said. "All babies do it. That's why I put the cloth there."

He looked down at Martha, now safely cradled in her mother's arms. "I can't get over how much she looks like my sister," he said quietly. "I surely cannot deny that child, as she most definitely favours the Tapp side of the family."

"That she does," Ruth agreed. I think her nose is more Moore, though."

She sighed in quiet contentment at having her small family all together, even if it was not yet a full time thing. Marcus had yet to propose marriage, nor was he faithful to her, but Ruth still felt hopeful. He visited his daughter regularly and gave her money for Martha's welfare. Though he'd not spent the night with her since Martha's birth, Ruth knew that was to give her time to recover from childbirth in peace. Nevertheless, Ruth could not help but wonder why he was waiting to propose as it was now apparent that the war was rapidly drawing to a close.

Laying his hand over Ruth's, Tapp said, "I thought I might stay with you tonight. That is, if you think you're ready. It has been several weeks, now."

"Yes, yes, I think I'm ready," Ruth said, almost shyly. "I've missed having you with me at night." After a moment, she added, "I hope you'll not mind me getting out of bed at night to feed Martha. She still sleeps in a bassinet in my room at night."

"Not at all," he told her, his lips curled up into a smile.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"There's my little man," William Tavington said as Charlotte brought their son into the library. "Bring him over here and let me hold him for awhile and you can have your tea."

"So, did Captain Wilkins have a buyer for the house?" Charlotte asked, a moment later as she was pouring her tea.

"As a matter of fact, I think he does," Tavington remarked as he bounced his nine month old son on his knee. "It's a man whom his family has known for years and who managed to remain neutral during this entire conflict. He's spent most of the war in France and has only recently returned to Charlestown and has been looking for a new home. Wilkins is going to bring him by tomorrow afternoon."

"I hope he makes a good offer," Charlotte said with a somewhat wistful expression. "We'll need that, plus what we got for the plantation in order to find a proper home in England."

Noting her expression, Tavington said, "I realize you'll miss South Carolina, but I know you'll love England. And one day, perhaps we can return to South Carolina for a visit, once memories of the war have begun to fade."

"I hope so," Charlotte said. "I would want little Will to see where he was born."

"I'm sure he will one day, even if he has to wait several years," he promised her, patting her hand

"I'll be happy wherever I am, as long as I'm with you," Charlotte said. "It's not a place that make a home; it's the people."

"Very true," he said. "Still, I am quite looking forward to showing you where I grew up."

"I look forward to it." she said. "How much longer do you think it will be?"

"From the reports I've read coming out of Yorktown, I can't see how the Lord General can hold out much longer," Tavington said. "He's backed up against the ocean with nowhere to go and they've been under siege for some time now. I wouldn't think it would be any more than a month."

"What happens then?" she asked. "Will Charleston capitulate then as well?"

"No," Tavington said flatly. "We are well provisioned here and could hold out for at least a year or more. It all depends on whether it is deemed worthwhile to do so. In either instance, we will be ready to go when the time comes."

"Yes, it always pays to plan ahead," Charlotte agreed.

Changing the subject, Tavington said, "I thought Wilkins' news about his sister was most ironic. After all the fuss she created here, it turned out to be entirely unwarranted."

"I am happy that she's finally getting her dearest wish, of course," Charlotte said carefully. "But I do wish she'd been more patient and not upset so many people in the process. I told Ruth about it and, as you would expect, she has very little sympathy for Mary."

"I can't say that I blame her," Tavington said, chuckling. "I can just imagine how you would have reacted if Bordon's wife had asked you to give up little Will."

"Very true," Charlotte agreed ,rolling her eyes.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Three weeks later, as Marcus Tapp arrived at the Tavington home to visit with Ruth and the baby, a courier came in right behind him.

"Where might I find Colonel Tavington, sir?" the young rider said. "I have a most urgent message for him."

"Give it here, Private," Tapp ordered brusquely. "I'll see that he gets it."

As he handed the message over, the private told Tapp, "It's about Yorktown, sir. They've surrendered!"

"I'll be damned," Tapp said. "I knew it was likely to happen, I just didn't think it would happen quite this soon."

"I suppose this means we'll all be going home soon?" the private speculated hopefully.

"Maybe, maybe not," Tapp said. "Wait out here in case the Colonel has a return message."

"Yes, sir," the other man said.

Marcus Tapp found William Tavington in the dining room with his wife and Captain Wilkins, just finishing up dinner."

Standing in the doorway,, Tapp said "Begging your pardon, sir, but I have a message for you."

Tavington took the message that the lean sergeant major had extended to him, briefly scanning the contents. "Damn," he swore briefly after he'd finished.

"What is it?" Wilkins asked.

"Cornwallis has surrendered his entire force at Yorktown," Tavington said laconically. After perusing the message more closely, he sneered, "Correction -_ O'Hara_ surrendered Yorktown. It seems as if the Lord General could not bear to show his face to do it himself."

"What does that mean for us?" Wilkins asked.

"I don't know yet," Tavington replied. Pushing his chair back from the table, he said, "I must go down to headquarters and see if Lord Rawdon has any orders in light of these new developments."

"Is there a return message, sir?" Tapp asked, still standing in the doorway.

"No," Tavington said shortly. Turning to Charlotte, he kissed her on the cheek then said, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

As Marcus Tapp turned to go about his own business, James Wilkins called out to him "Sergeant Major Tapp? Might I speak with you?"

Tapp turned to the taller man. "Of course, sir."

Marcus Tapp and James Wilkins had always got along well together and the recent problems between Tapp and the Bordons had not done anything to change that. Wilkins even secretly sided with Tapp on the matter knowing how difficult his sister could be at times. In light of this, Tapp did not find Wilkins' request to be odd or inappropriate.

"Is there somewhere we can go to have a drink?" Wilkins asked. "I have a proposition that you might be interested in."

"My billet?" Tapp suggested. "It's just around the corner and I have nearly anything you might care to drink there."

"That will do," Wilkins said, as the two men entered the courtyard. As they mounted up, Tapp dismissed the waiting courier with a wave of the hand.

A short time later, Tapp led Wilkins into a book-lined study in the former Powell home. "What will you have?" the sergeant major asked.

"Brandy, if you have it," Wilkins said as he settled himself into an overstuffed chair. "You certainly ended up with a comfortable billet. I wouldn't expect that an enlisted man, even one of your rank, would get something this nice."

Baring his teeth in a feral grin, Tapp merely said, "I have connections." He handed the captain his brandy, then poured some of the same for himself.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Tapp asked lazily, sitting behind the large oak desk as if he owned the place.

"Like most of us here, I'm sure you know that we're about to lose this war," Wilkins began.

Tapp nodded, waiting for Wilkins to get to the point.

"And I'm sure you've been thinking of where you want to go and what you want to do when it's all over," Wilkins continued.

"Yes, of course," Tapp replied, taking a sip of the brandy.

"Like the Tavingtons, I have been selling off my assets, knowing I'll have to move once the war is concluded," Wilkins said. "I've made tentative plans to move to Canada and have been making discreet inquiries for months about the best places to settle."

Tapp nodded, having conducted similar inquiries himself.

"I've been in contact with a cousin who lives in the northern part of Massachusetts, in Maine. He told me of a new town that has been founded just inside the Canadian border, which will be settled mainly by American Loyalists once this is all over."

"Oh?" Tapp said, urging Wilkins to continue.

"St Andrews will be in Charlotte County, New Brunswick," Wilkins continued. "My cousin tells me that Charlotte County is looking for a sheriff, who will be based out of St. Andrews." Looking sharply at Tapp, he said, "You were a sheriff before joining the Green Dragoons, am I correct?"

"Yes, I was the Sheriff of Gloucester County in New Jersey for five years," Tapp confirmed. "Before that, I spent about fifteen years as a mercenary soldier for various governments in Europe. I am well experienced."

"I can tell you are, by the way you handle your men," Wilkins confirmed. "I think you'd make an excellent sheriff for Charlotte County. I am prepared to recommend you to my cousin, who is one of the founders of St Andrews. Do you think you'd be interested in this position? I can assure you it is a good one, as I plan to move to St Andrews myself, once I am released from my duties here."

"Yes," Tapp confirmed. "I am very interested."

"Excellent," Wilkins said. "I will send word to my cousin immediately to let him know I've got the right man for the job." After a pause, he said, "There is one stipulation you must meet before they will formally offer you the job, however."

"Oh?" Tapp said, raising an eyebrow. "What is that?"

"The man they hire must be a married man," Wilkins said. "They don't want a man who is apt to leave the moment the moment he gets a mind to be wandering. They believe a married man will be more settled and likely to remain in the position."

After a long pause, Tapp chuckled heartily. "Ah, I see."

Wilkins smiled as well, knowing how much the lean sergeant valued his independence. "Are you prepared to make that sacrifice for the sake of the job? I think I know just the woman who would be willing to marry you on a moment's notice."

Tapp sighed loudly in resignation. "I suppose it must be done, then, if I am to get this job. At least I know Ruth and I are compatible and I won't have to start at the beginning with her to court her."

"Good!" Wilkins said. "I'll be off then, so I can get a letter ready to send to my cousin in the morning, to let him know of your acceptance."

"This will remain private between the two of us, then?" Tapp asked. "I want everything settled and official before I share the news with others."

"Of course," Wilkins said, fully understanding Tapp's meaning. He knew it would be best if Ruth did not know that Tapp's upcoming proposal to her was based on less than romantic motivations.

Marcus Tapp showed the captain out, then mounted the stairs to his bedroom. Going directly to the wall safe where he'd squirreled away the best of his plunder, he went through a bag of jewellery until he found a particularly fine ruby ring. He carefully polished the ring, then rolled it up in an old piece of velvet. Leaving the house moments later, Marcus Tapp headed up the street to the Tavingtons to finally propose marriage to Ruth.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_**Author's note:** Maine was a part of Massachusetts until 1820, when it became a separate state. St Andrews, New Brunswick was indeed founded by American Loyalists, but not until 1783. I fudged the time a bit to suit the purposes of this story._


	56. An Expedient Proposal

When Marcus Tapp re-entered the Tavington home a short time later, he found Charlotte Tavington sitting alone in the dining room with a cup of tea. The Colonel had not yet returned and Ruth was nowhere in sight.

Looking up as the tall dragoon appeared in the doorway, Charlotte said helpfully, "Ruth went upstairs to change Martha. She should be back down in a few minutes."

"Thank you," Tapp replied. "But there is something I want to show you before Ruth returns."

"Oh?" Charlotte's curiosity was piqued. "Do sit down and show me."

Not feeling awkward in the slightest, Tapp took a chair, then pulled the velvet-wrapped ring out of his pocket. After carefully unrolling the velvet, he gave it another brief shine before handing it to Charlotte. "This is for Ruth, he explained. "I'm about to ask for her hand."

"Oh, how wonderful!" Charlotte exclaimed, clapping her hands in delight. "You are doing the right thing, believe me. Ruth is a wonderful young woman and she'll make you a fine wife."

She took the ruby ring from Tapp and examined it carefully from all sides. Charlotte recognized the ring immediately as having belonged to an acquaintance from her church whose husband had taken the rebel side when the war began. Though she knew the ring was plunder, she did not let on what she knew to Marcus Tapp. "It's perfectly lovely," she enthused. "Ruth will adore this ring."

"I thought she'd like it," Tapp replied. "But I figured it wouldn't hurt to get a woman's opinion first."

"Trust me, she'll love it,' Charlotte assured him. "Why don't you use the library to propose to her? I'll send Matthew up with a fine bottle of wine."

"Thank you," he said. "That will work well."

"Colonel Tavington and I would be pleased to host the wedding here, if you like," Charlotte went on, getting into the spirit of the occasion. "That is, unless you and Ruth prefer somewhere else?"

"Here will be fine," he said, smiling. He certainly preferred it to a church wedding, as he was not a believer.

"We'll have a lovely dinner for you," Charlotte continued. "When do you plan to have the wedding? Will you have the banns?"

"I think not," Tapp replied. "There's no particular hurry, so you and Ruth can take your time to plan a wedding, though I'd prefer something on the simple side."

"Yes, of course," Charlotte said, knowing that a small wedding would be more tasteful, considering Ruth's unwed motherhood.

Getting up from the chair, he said, "I'd best go find Ruth now, before she comes down here and finds us conspiring together and wonder what's going on."

"That's a good idea," Charlotte agreed. "Congratulations again, Sergeant Major Tapp."

Tapp moved noiselessly up the stairs a moment later, meeting Ruth just as she was exiting the nursery. Her face lit up the moment she noticed him walking toward her.

"Your timing is perfect," she said. "I just got Martha to go to sleep."

"Why don't we go into the library?" he suggested, taking her hand. "There's a matter I need to discuss with you."

"All right," she said slowly, curious about the serious expression on his face.

As they settled themselves side by side on the sofa a few seconds later, Ruth asked, "What is it, Marcus?"

"For the last few weeks or so, I've been doing a lot of thinking," he began. "I've come to realize just how happy you and Martha make me. And with what has happened in Yorktown, I know that the war will soon be over. I won't be able to stay in South Carolina once it's over and I don't think I can bear to lose you."

Ruth did not say a word, not wanting to interrupt what she thought he was about to say.

Reaching his hand inside his pocket, he brought out the ruby ring and said, "Ruth, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

"Oh, yes, Marcus, a thousand times yes!" she cried, smiling with joy as he slipped the ring on her finger, which fit perfectly. "And what a beautiful ring! I don't think I've ever seen one this gorgeous before. Oh, I love you Marcus!" With tears coming to her eyes, she murmured, "I never thought this day would come."

Tapp did not reply, but took her into his arms and kissed her deeply for several long minutes. He still wasn't at all keen about getting married, but if he had to be married to get that sheriff's post, he couldn't think of anyone he'd rather marry than Ruth. He did enjoy being with her, after all, and supposed he did love her, even if it wasn't as much as she loved him.

As they continued to kiss, they heard a throat clear behind them. Not letting go of Ruth, Tapp swivelled his head around to see Matthew standing in the doorway holding a tray with a bottle of champagne and two glasses. "Mistress Tavington's compliments, sir."

"Come in, come in," Tapp beckoned the servant. After Matthew had served them, Tapp said casually, "Close the door on the way out."

Once they were alone again, Tapp held up his glass and said, "To us."

"To us," Ruth repeated sighing with happiness. "May we have a long and happy life together."

As they continued to sip their drinks, Ruth said, "You must have told Miss Charlotte that you were going to ask for my hand."

"Yes, I did," he affirmed. "I wanted to get her opinion of the ring before I gave it to you."

"I take it she approved," Ruth said.

"That's right," he said, smiling. "She also offered to host the wedding here for us, dinner and all."

"Oh, how nice!" Ruth exclaimed. "When do you want to get married?"

"There's no hurry," he said. "You can take your time to make the arrangements, have a new gown made, and so on."

"I'm not sure I can afford to have a new gown made," she said, frowning. "I do have a nice gown that isn't that old that should be perfectly serviceable."

"I have the money," Tapp assured her. "And you will have a new gown, the finest you've ever had. Only the best for you, my dear."

"Thank you, Marcus," she said, leaning kiss him on the cheek. "Mistress Tavington and I will have so much fun visiting the dressmaker and choosing the fabric and colours."

He smiled indulgently at her girlish enthusiasm, remembering why he'd been attracted to her in the first place. Perhaps marriage to Ruth wouldn't be so bad, after all. Being a sheriff again would take him all over the county, being away from home sometimes for days at a time. This would afford him the measure of independence needed in order to tolerate being married.

"So, I suppose I'll be moving with you to your billet for the rest of the war," Ruth said. "I've been training Bessie to do my job, and I think she'll be ready to take over by the time we get married."

"Yes, we'll stay there until the war is over," Tapp told her. "There's Hannah, one of the other sergeant's wives, staying there, so you will have female companionship during the day."

"I know I'll like it there," Ruth said optimistically.

"Why don't we make an early night of it, and go to bed?" he suggested leaning down to kiss her neck. "I think we should celebrate our engagement properly."

"I couldn't agree more," she said, taking his hand as he stood up to lead her to the bedroom.

"We'd better hurry," he said, his voice thick with desire. "If we stay in here much longer, I'll end up taking you right here on the sofa."

"I can just imagine Colonel Tavington coming in here to do his paperwork and finding us in the middle of it," Ruth said, rolling her eyes.

Tapp's laugh was a low rumble, "Knowing him, he'd probably want to join in."

"Marcus!" Ruth was scandalized.

Still laughing, he said, "But it's true, he would!"

As the couple left the library, they met the Tavingtons coming up the stairs.

Charlotte looked at Ruth expectantly, having told her husband about Tapp's impending proposal. She smiled to herself seeing the champagne bottle in Tapp's hand, intuiting that he'd made a successful proposal.

Almost giddy, Ruth extended her ring hand for the other woman to inspect, and said, "Congratulate us - we're engaged!"

"Oh, I'm so happy for you, dear," Charlotte said, hugging Ruth close. "Such a lovely ring, too. When is the happy date?"

"Marcus said we'll do it whenever we're done making the wedding preparations," she said. "And I'm going to have a new gown made!"

"I'll take you to my dressmaker's shop," Charlotte promised. "She'll be able to make something perfect for you!"

While the women chatted, Tavington gave Tapp an assessing gaze, wondering what was behind this sudden proposal. He knew it wasn't a change of heart about the institution of marriage, as reports of Tapp's behaviour had indicated that he was still regularly seen in the company of other women. Nevertheless, there had to be some compelling reason for the sergeant major to enter into marriage of his own accord. As Tapp returned his gaze with a lazy, insolent grin, Tavington was certain he was correct and decided to find out later just what it was.

After the future Mr and Mrs Tapp excused themselves for bed, William Tavington and Charlotte entered the library to have their after dinner drinks.

"Well, that certainly was a surprise," Tavington remarked, after he'd closed the doors to the library behind them and poured them both a drink. "I never thought Tapp would ever ask Ruth to marry him. If there was ever a confirmed bachelor, it's Marcus Tapp. I must admit I'm quite curious as to why he did so and why now."

"Oh, William, you have no sense of romance at all," Charlotte chided. "Perhaps he simply realized that, now with the war nearly at an end, it's time to settle down. Considering that he and Ruth have a daughter together, it was about time he came to his senses and realize that he loves Ruth and that marriage is nothing to run from."

"I sincerely doubt that," Tavington said, chuckling. "The man is forty years old, you know."

"Perhaps he simply had not found the right woman before," Charlotte said. "And I'm sure little Martha played a part to make him realize that Ruth is the woman for him."

"Maybe," Tavington conceded. "But I would not be surprised if he is marrying her for some mundane and practical reason, though I can't imagine what that could be. It would indicate, however, that he is not considering hiring himself out again as a mercenary after this war is over. He is getting to an age where most such men move on to something else."

Sighing heavily, Charlotte said, "I hope that it turns out well for Ruth, no matter why he came to ask her. She's besotted with him and I know she'll make a good wife. I dearly hope that he'll be worth her love."

"He'll be a good provider, at the very least," Tavington said sourly. "The man knows how to make money."

"Plunder,' Charlotte said, almost to herself.

"Yes, that and other rather unseemly things," Tavington said, not wanting to tell his wife that Marcus Tapp ran a brothel in Charlestown. Because the man was the most efficient sergeant major he'd ever seen, he'd turned a blind eye to Tapp's less savoury activities. Turning to Charlotte, he demanded, "How did you know?"

"I recognized the ring he gave her," she explained. "It belonged to an acquaintance who attended the same church as I did before the war. Her husband ended up joining the rebel side."

"I expect that you did not let on to him that you knew it was plunder?"

"No, I figured there was no useful reason for doing so," Charlotte replied. "And I didn't want to do anything to dim Ruth's happiness."

"Wise choice," Tavington said.

Changing the subject, Charlotte asked, "So, what did Lord Rawdon have to say about Yorktown? Specifically, how does it affect us?"

"I won't go into the military details, but Cornwallis surrendered the entire force" Tavington said. "I imagine that the officers and their dependents will eventually be moved to New York before being paroled to go home. Enlisted men will likely be sent to prison camps. Loyalists will likely be deported." Pouring them each another glass of wine, he continued, "As for us, Lord Rawdon doesn't see any change here for the foreseeable future. He thinks we'll be here for at least another year."

"Perhaps we should not be so quick to sell the house, then" Charlotte said.

"No, I think we should go ahead," Tavington said. "We'll be leaving regardless of who ultimately wins, and I don't want to have to be going around trying to sell this house at the last minute. We'd end up having to give it away under such circumstances."

"Yes, I imagine you're right," she agreed.

The next morning, as the two dragoons rode out from the Tavington home for their respective duties, Tavington turned to Tapp and asked, "Tell me, Tapp. What brought on your sudden change of heart about marriage? The last time we spoke, you were quite averse to the idea of a committed relationship with a woman, preferring to maintain your independence. Forgive my prying, but I am curious."

"Ah, you have me dead to rights, Colonel," Tapp readily admitted. "But I would ask you to keep what I'm about to tell you to yourself. There's no need to upset the ladies."

"Yes, of course," Tavington agreed. "You have my word as an officer and a gentleman."

"I've been offered the position of Sheriff of Charlotte County in New Brunswick, Canada," Tapp explained. "The offer is contingent on me being a married man."

"Ah, I see," Tavington said, chuckling. "I knew it was something like that."

"Though I would prefer to remain unmarried, I do care about Ruth and there is the small matter of her being the mother of my child," Tapp continued. "If I must be married, there is no other woman but her whom I would consider." With a sardonic laugh, he added, "And being a sheriff will necessitate me frequently being away from home several days at a time. I figure that such a profession will allow me to both be married and to maintain a sufficient amount of independence at the same time."

"You seem to have it all worked out," the other man observed. "I hope it all works out well for both you and Ruth."

Over the next several weeks, Charlotte Tavington and Ruth Moore busied themselves with wedding plans. There was a menu to plan, a gown and trousseau to have made, and guests to invite. Ruth did not buy goods for her new household, as she and Marcus had decided not to worry about that until the war was over and they were on their way to their new home, as they planned to travel as lightly as possible.

"I'll miss you, you know," Charlotte told her one day as they went through cloth samples for Ruth's wedding gown. "We've been together so many years that it won't be the same once you're married and gone. It's almost like losing a daughter even though you're not quite young enough for that. Losing a sister, then."

"I'll miss you, too," Ruth said. "It won't be so bad as long as Marcus and I are staying at the Powell house, but once the war is over and we both go our separate ways, It will be difficult then."

"We'll just have to make sure to write to one another," Charlotte vowed. "I am a good correspondent, you know."

Marcus Tapp spent most of those same weeks doing what he'd been doing all along since arriving in Charlestown: riding patrols around the perimeter of the city, plundering and selling it on the black market, and collecting from the brothel. He wanted to amass as much blunt as he could in these last months of the war, so he could establish himself well once arriving in Canada, and to be able to build and furnish a decent home for him and Ruth.

He didn't speak of his impending marriage to anyone, yet the news that the Devil on Horseback was to be married eventually got around. This only served to make some women more aggressive in seeking out his company and he continued to accept offers as it struck his fancy. Tapp knew he'd miss the favours of the amiable southern women once he was living in the cold north, so he enjoyed it while he could.

As he went to the brothel one day about a week after being engaged, Molly laughed scornfully at him as he entered her office to collect the take.

"I can't believe you, marrying that dried up old prune" Molly sneered. "I though it was a joke when I heard the news yesterday."

"Word gets around fast here," Tapp said, rolling his eyes. "But don't you worry none about me; Ruth takes good care of me and we do have a daughter together, you know."

"I thought you were going to take me along with you when you left here after the war," Molly pouted. "You and I would make a great team."

Tapp laughed loudly at this; a deep belly laugh.

"Oh, you've been a lot of fun and a good business partner as well, but there's never been anything more than that between us, Molly," he told her. "You should know that. Besides, you've got a good business going here and before I leave, I'll give you a good deal in buying me out."

On the same morning that Charlotte and Ruth were at the dressmaker's shop choosing fabrics for her gown, Marcus Tapp finally got a confirmation of his appointment as Charlotte County Sheriff from Wilkins' cousin. The offer provided for him to finish his duties with the Green Dragoons before he was expected to report for his new position, as the town of St. Andrews did not expect to have much population until the war was completely over. Now that the job was confirmed, he could tell Ruth about it and in a manner where she would not link his marriage proposal to the job offer.

He met Charlotte and Ruth pulling up in the carriage as he returned to the Tavington home for lunch.

"I have good news for you," he told Ruth as the two women stepped out of the carriage. "Our future after the war is settled." Holding up the letter, he proudly announced, "Say hello to the new Sheriff of Charlotte County, New Brunswick."

"Oh, that is good news, Marcus!" Ruth exclaimed happily. "When do we leave?"

"Not until the war is over," he said. "They are willing to wait until I've finished my duty to King and country."

"That's good; it will give us time to prepare for the move," Ruth said.

"That it will," he agreed. "Let's go inside to finish this conversation as I'm sure the noon meal must be about ready by now."

"Gladly," she said. "I want to hear all about your new job."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The morning of Marcus Tapp's and Ruth Moore's wedding day, New Year's Day 1782, was cold and clear. Ruth was up at dawn to prepare for her wedding, starting with a bath. Miss Charlotte had brought in her own hairdresser to do Ruth's hair, after which Bessie helped her to dress.

"Oh, that has to be the prettiest gown I've ever seen," Bessie exclaimed. "I don't think even Miss Charlotte has anything nicer."

It was so. Ruth looked resplendent in a heavy gold brocade gown, with a cream coloured silk petticoat, and matching gold brocade shoes. Charlotte Tavington had lent her a pearl choker which perfectly set off the gown. The bride surveyed herself carefully in the full-length mirror and sighed. "It did turn out well. I hope Marcus likes it."

"How could he not like it?" Bessie declared. "The man's got eyes, doesn't he?"

There was a knock at the door a moment later, and Bessie opened it to reveal Charlotte Tavington, looking equally exquisite in a gown of emerald green brocade with a gold silk petticoat.

"Are you ready, Ruth?" Charlotte asked. "All the guests are here and waiting in the library."

"Yes," Ruth answered beaming. "More than ready."

"I'll be watching from the doorway, so's I can hear the little ones if they need me," Bessie promised. "Now go in there and marry that handsome man of yours."

William Tavington was waiting near the door to the library as the two women approached. Soft music from a single violin emanated from the room, as Charlotte had hired a musician for the occasion.

"My, here are the two most beautiful women in Charlestown," Tavington said, smiling, looking handsome in his dress uniform. "Tapp is a lucky man indeed, to get so comely of a bride as you, Ruth." Extending his arm, he said, "Are you ready?"

"Oh, yes, Colonel," she breathed.

After Captain Wilkins had escorted Charlotte to her seat, William Tavington escorted Ruth Moore inside and led her to the fireplace where Sergeant Major Marcus Tapp stood waiting in his dress uniform, along with the chaplain of the Green Dragoons.

Ruth was all aglow with anticipation as Tavington took her hand and placed it in Tapp's hand.

"Thank you, Colonel, for everything," Ruth whispered to him before he took a seat by his wife.

Turning, she looked up at Marcus, who was smiling down at her in encouragement. She sighed at the sight of him, so handsome in his dress uniform.

"Shall we begin?" the chaplain asked. After a moment, he began, "Dearly beloved…."

Ruth paid little attention to the words, so focused was she on the face of her soon to be husband.

A moment later the clergyman asked, "Do you, Marcus Obadiah Tapp, take this woman, Ruth Abigail Moore to be your lawfully wedded wife…."

Ruth held her breath as she waited for Marcus' reply. It wouldn't seem quite real to her until she heard the words.

"I do," Marcus Tapp said loudly and firmly.

It was real. Marcus wanted her. He'd finally taken the vows, at last. This was all Ruth could think about as she spoke her own vows moments later.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. The groom may kiss the bride."

It was done. Ruth's dearest wish had come true. She was now Ruth Tapp; Mrs Marcus Tapp.

"


	57. Arrival in New York

_**Author's Note: Pardon my lateness in posting, but I'm still pretty broken up about the death of Pete Postlethwaite (who portrayed the main character of my next story, "Let This Heart Be Still") and haven't been much in the mood to write. This is a chapter I had to pull out of myself, word by word.**_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

**January 1783 - New York **

William Tavington sighed in relief as he staggered down the gangplank of the packet ship that had that had taken his small family up the eastern seaboard from Charlestown to New York. They had been accompanied by their two servants, James Wilkins, and the Tapps. The trip up the coast had been endured in bad weather and choppy seas, so no one had been happier than he when lower Manhattan had first come into view. The dragoon colonel spent most of the trip to New York as he'd done on the reverse trip three years previously; on deck, bent over the rail, spewing the contents of his stomach into the churning sea.

As he set his feet on solid ground again, on a pier in Manhattan in the frigid morning air, he resisted the impulse to get down on his knees to kiss the steady planks. "At last," he muttered. "I don't think I could have stood another day on that damnable ship."

James Wilkins and Marcus Tapp both chuckled at the seasick Tavington, as both men were natural sailors. Charlotte Tavington had been rather queasy herself on the voyage, but she had a better reason than did her husband, as she was now newly pregnant with her second child.

"Why don't we find a couple of carriages and find our billets," Wilkins suggested. "I'm sure the women and children are tired and would like to get settled."

"Excellent idea, Wilkins," Tavington said. "We'll try to use the same billet I used when I was here prior to coming to South Carolina. I can only hope there are rooms available now. If not, there are several other places nearby."

Marcus Tapp had been to New York many times in the past; both while as a sheriff in New Jersey and when passing through during his years as a mercenary. However, he had no intention of taking Ruth and Martha to any of the seedy dives he'd stayed at while in the city previously. He had a sufficiently respectable inn in mind that, while not as nice as where the Tavingtons intended to lodge, would be perfectly safe to bring his small family to. And it was situated in an area that would give him a base of operations in which to generate more blunt before he and Ruth would make the final leg of their journey in the spring. He'd made quite a good bit of money while in Charlestown, but was always looking to add to his nest egg, as his family was also about to grow in a few months.

Within a short time, the group was on its way, with the Tavingtons and Wilkins in one carriage, the Tapps in another, and the servants following behind the Tavingtons in a wagon with the Tavingtons' baggage.

/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Several streets away from the pier, Mary Bordon was awakened by her son's crying. James, who had been in a deep slumber, awakened groggily. "Wha…?"

"Go back to sleep," she murmured. "It's just Georgie. He probably just needs to be changed." Looking at the clock, she saw it was nine-thirty. "And fed, too, I'd imagine. Let me go tend him before he awakens Susan as well."

Bordon yawned loudly and asked, "Are you wanting to go to church this morning? We've not been in weeks."

"It's already too late for that," she said dismissively. "And I don't want to bring Georgie out into the cold, in any instance. We'll just have a nice quiet day at home."

"Sounds good to me," Bordon said, yawning again, before sitting up to stretch prior to getting out of bed.

The Bordons had been sent to New York after the fall of Yorktown, along with the other officers in Cornwallis' command. Bordon had accepted a staff position in the city, as they didn't want to be at sea when Mary gave birth. Their son George Horatio Bordon had been born in February of 1782 in New York, and Bordon had decided at that time to remain in his new post for the duration of the war, as he wanted to delay being on half-pay for as long as possible. As the Tavingtons and their party arrived in New York, little George was approaching his first birthday.

Mary was happy in New York, since there was so much to do and see and the Bordons were friends with several officer couples close to their own age. But she knew it would eventually come to an end, as there wasn't any way they could remain in New York once the war was over. James assured her that if she liked New York, she'd like London even better because it was so much bigger than New York.

As she went into the other bedroom, she found Susan already up, sitting with George, who had calmed down to some extent

"He needed to be changed, Mother," the girl told her mother in a matter of fact tone. "I just went ahead and did it, just as you showed me."

"Ah what would I do without you?" Mary said, smiling down at her oldest child, patting her on the shoulder. "Let's get him dressed and we'll go downstairs to have something to eat."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

In the building next door, Charlotte Tavington looked around appraisingly as they were shown to their rooms. While the rooms were perfectly lovely and a vast improvement over the pokey little cabin they'd had about the packet ship, she was once again reminded just how much she was going to miss her lovely home in Charlestown.

Masking her thoughts from her husband and suppressing a sigh, she turned to him and smiled. "I'm sure we'll be quite comfortable, William. I do look forward to seeing the city while we're here."

"We've a few months to explore it," Tavington promised her. "We'll have a grand time."

"I've invited Ruth for tea tomorrow," she confided. "Perhaps we'll do a bit of shopping as well. If we go, Bessie will remain here with Matthew to watch the children.'

Bessie had replaced Ruth as Charlotte Tavington's maidservant since Ruth had married Marcus Tapp, while her faithful butler, Matthew had agreed to come as the Colonel's manservant. The other slaves had been freed, while the few white indentured servants had been released from their indentures. Matthew looked forward to working for wages as a free man in England, while Bessie had jumped at the chance to be able to live near her family again, while still holding a respectable position.

"I'll have to report for duty some time tomorrow," Tavington told her as they continued to inspect the suite of rooms. "Because we'll be here for a few months, I might as well volunteer for some sort of duty, so I can draw full pay. But I should be able to escort you on your shopping expedition tomorrow if you would like."

"That would be nice," she said. "I'll probably spend some time tomorrow to get this place to look more like a home, as well.'

As the couple entered the nursery, they found Bessie making up little Will's bed, which was a smaller cot meant for a servant. He and Bessie, who would sleep in there with him, had switched beds, as the smaller bed was more appropriate for the two year old boy.

"Mama, Papa!" he called when he saw his parents. "Where Marfa?"

"Martha will come to see you tomorrow," Charlotte told him, leaning down to kiss the top his head. The toddler had dark hair like his father, but green eyes like his mother. "But right now, it's time for you to take a nap. We'll have something to eat when you wake up, I promise."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Early the next morning, Marcus and Ruth Tapp lingered in bed until mid-morning until Martha awakened them.

"Time to start the day, I suppose," Marcus Tapp said as he sat up in bed. "I need to go out and go to a tailor shop and have some new clothes made. I don't have all that much civilian clothing and very little of what I do have is suitable to wear in Canada's climate."

"Miss Charlotte asked me to come by to see her today, because she also wanted to go shopping," Ruth said. Moving to stand beside her husband as he began to shave in front of the mirror, she asked, "I don't suppose I could persuade you to be our escort, could I? Bessie is going to take care of both children."

"I could be persuaded, I think,' he allowed, grinning wolfishly.

"I'll make it worth your while later on tonight," Ruth promised, returning his grin.

"I'll hold you to it," he promised patting her backside, just before dipping his razor into the basin of water.

A short time later, the Tapps arrived at the Tavington suite. Matthew opened the door to him, much as he'd done as butler in Charlestown.

Charlotte Tavington entered the room a moment later. "Ah, Ruth, there you are. Do be seated. I'm afraid we'll have to wait for a bit before we set out. The colonel has gone to army headquarters to report for an assignment."

"Marcus has volunteered to escort us," Ruth said. "He knows the city and he has some shopping of his own to do."

"Wonderful!" Charlotte said, "Why don't you bring Martha into the nursery. Bessie is there with Will and the children can enjoy an afternoon together while we're away."

"Shall we go, ladies?" Tapp said after Ruth had returned from the nursery.

"By all, means, sir," Charlotte replied, laughing. "Lead on."

/\/\/\/\\\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

William Tavington left army headquarters with an agreeable assignment; being in command of coordinating all cavalry operations in the city, a position quite similar to the one he held in Charlestown. As in Charlestown, he'd not be out patrolling personally, but would work in an administrative role.

As he turned the corner of the hallway to head back out into the street, he collided with another person coming from the other direction, sending papers going in every direction.

"Pardon me, sir," Tavington murmured in apology, as he stooped to help retrieve the scattered paperwork. "I was preoccupied and was not looking where I was going." He looked up and was surprised to see James Bordon staring back at him in equal astonishment.

"Bordon," Tavington greeted. "Surprised to see you here."

"Likewise," the major said guardedly. "We've been here since not long after the fall in Yorktown."

"Bad business all around," Tavington remarked. "Congratulations on your promotion to major, by the way. I heard that you served most admirably as Simcoe's commander of hussars."

"Thank you, Colonel," Bordon responded quietly. "It was a most useful experience. Simcoe was a most capable leader to serve under."

Tavington pressed his lips together tightly, but gave no other indication that he'd understood Bordon's subtle dig. Deciding to ignore it, he continued, "I also have heard from Captain Wilkins that congratulations are in order for the birth of a son."

Bordon beamed at the mention of his son and heir. "George was born nearly a year ago. Mary and I are quite proud of him."

"As well you should be," Tavington said. "There's nothing like having a son."

"Quite true," Bordon agreed. "I dote on young George and look forward to when I'll be able to teach him to ride."

Tavington chuckled. "One my first things to do when I get back home is to find a proper mount for Will, though I've not yet told Charlotte that."

Bordon gave him a sympathetic look. "Women…"

"I was just headed back to my billet to get Charlotte to take her out to the shops," Tavington said. "Why don't you and Mary join us for dinner this evening?"

"I'll have to check and see what she has planned," Bordon said hesitantly, not sure if Mary would want to share a table with William Tavington. "But it should not be a problem"

"We're staying on Queen Street, two blocks north of where it intersects with Wall Street," Tavington said. "The first house after the intersection on the left."

"We're staying in the house right next to it," Bordon said. "When did you get here?"

"Yesterday morning," Tavington replied as the two men walked toward their billets.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Mary Bordon walked up the street back to her lodgings, as it was close to noon and time for the children to eat. The three went out for a walk nearly every morning, as Mary couldn't stand being cooped up in their rooms all the time.

She knew that the British forces had recently evacuated from Charlestown, though she'd not had a letter from her brother Jim in quite some time. But he'd told her that he was planning to resettle somewhere in Canada after the war, considering that the new American government would deport all Loyalists as a matter of course. Mary figured that Jim would likely stop in New York on the way to Canada and hoped he would do so before she and James left for England.

As Mary and Susan walked up the street, Susan looked idly inside the windows of the shops they passed. Encumbered with little Georgie, Mary did not window shop, as all her concentration was devoted to carrying him. He'd been taking a few steps, but could not yet walk well enough to go for a stroll. When they passed a tailor shop, Susan looked inside to see a man who greatly resembled Sergeant Major Tapp, the man whom she'd had a crush on when they were still in South Carolina. She did not mention what she'd seen to her mother because the window was grimy, so she wasn't sure what the man really looked like and because she knew her mother did not like Marcus Tapp.

Putting what she'd seen out of her mind, she skipped along next to her mother to the next store, when the door opened and Miss Charlotte and Ruth stepped out of a millinery shop.

"Look, Mother!" she exclaimed. "It's Miss Charlotte!"

Charlotte Tavington turned at the mention of her name to see Mary and Susan walking up to them. "Mary Bordon!" she greeted. "Your brother said you would be here." Noticing little George for the first time, the blond woman said, "What a fine, big boy. He looks just like his father."

"That he does," Mary said proudly. "This is George Horatio Bordon. He'll be a year old next month."

"He was worth waiting for," Charlotte remarked quietly.

"That he was," Mary agreed.

Ruth hadn't said a word since they'd spotted Mary Bordon. She still hadn't forgotten the cavalier way the woman had treated her by having the effrontery to ask her to give up her own child. However, for Miss Charlotte's sake, she kept her mouth shut and a neutral expression on her face.

But then she heard her name mentioned. "So Ruth decided to come to England with you?" Mary asked. She wondered where Ruth's baby was, but did not ask directly.

"No, I'm not going to England," Ruth put in frostily. "I am no longer in the Tavingtons' employ. I'm Mistress Tapp now and my husband and I merely accompanied the Tavingtons on our way to Canada where he has been hired as a sheriff." Lifting her chin to the other woman, she added, "We have a beautiful little girl and we're to have a second child in a few months as well."

Mary was rendered speechless for a moment. She found it hard to believe that Marcus Tapp had finally given in to marry Ruth. Before she could comment, however, the door to the tailor shop opened to reveal Marcus Tapp himself.

Noticing Mary right away, he strolled lazily over to Ruth, putting his arm around her as he gave Mary an easy, slow grin. "Fancy meeting you here," he drawled, rolling his eyes.

Mary still could not abide Marcus Tapp, but she now felt rather ashamed of her impulsive behaviour back in Charlestown. Now that she had George, it was hard to imagine that she'd ever been so desperate for a child that she'd attempted to get another woman to give up her baby. Still, she was too proud to apologize to the Tapps.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

William Tavington and James Bordon had a somewhat stilted conversation on their way back to their respective billets, talking about everything under the sun except the incident that caused Bordon to request a transfer. They spoke of their children, the war, their plans for after the war, until it got to a point where the two men almost felt comfortable with one another again.

All this was shattered when they turned the corner leading to their billets and ran into Marcus Tapp escorting their women back home. James Bordon's eyes narrowed with loathing when he spied the tall man towering above the women. All the resentment he'd felt at the time of his confrontation with Marcus Tapp came roaring back in all its intensity.

Stopping dead in his tracks, he hissed to Tavington, "What is this man doing here?"

Tavington resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It had been going so well with his former second in command, too, but Tavington knew that whatever reconciliation they'd achieved was now gone.

"Tapp is on his way to Canada with his wife - yes, he did marry Ruth - to take up his new position as sheriff of Charlotte County, New Brunswick," Tavington explained patiently. "The Tapps have travelled with us, which has been good for Charlotte, and their daughter has been a playmate for little Will." He didn't add that he also found the sergeant major good company, knowing it would only fuel Bordon's ire.

"Will they be at dinner tonight?" Bordon demanded.

"Yes, I would expect so," Tavington replied neutrally. "Charlotte invited them."

Turning to his former commanding officer, Bordon said haughtily. "I'm sorry, sir, but it seems as if Mary and I have other plans, after all, and will not be able to share dinner with you."

Not waiting for Tavington's response, he collected his family and headed to their billet without another word.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

**Author's note:** _ Alert readers will recognize Bordon's question, "What is this man doing here?", as being taken from the 1960s TV show, "Hogan's Heroes". This was Major Hochstetter's signature line. I needed a bit of a smile, so when this phrase popped into my head, I went with it._


	58. Appendix

**Appendix**

**William and Charlotte Tavington**

After returning to England later in 1783, the Tavingtons settled in London, where Charlotte soon gave birth to their second child, a girl. William Tavington's widowed maternal aunt had died childless and had left her luxurious London home to her favourite nephew.

Tavington spent the next few years voluntarily accepting half-pay as he wrote his memoirs and enjoyed his role as father of a growing family. He and Charlotte had received enough money from the sales of her two homes so that they could live comfortably. In his later years, he often spoke of these years as being among the happiest times of his life.

Charlotte, though at first overwhelmed by the size of London, soon adjusted and happily threw herself into the social whirl of the _ton. _She became a close friend of the Duchess of Devonshire, to whom she was introduced to by Ban Tarleton, whose mistress Mary Robinson, was also well acquainted with the Duchess.

Promoted to General, William Tavington went to India with Lord Cornwallis in 1786, as part of his staff, bringing his family to live with him in Calcutta. They remained there until 1793, then returned to pick up the life they'd left in London.

In the next few years, he and Charlotte travelled extensively on the Continent, and for a year lived in a villa with their children just outside Rome. They were even able to return to Charlestown, now Charleston, for a few months in the late 1790s. While there, Charlotte attempted to visit with the remaining Martin children, now grown up, who all refused to see her.

William Tavington retired from the army at the beginning of the Napoleonic wars, and was knighted in 1803. He bought his oldest son, Will, a commission as a captain and the young man went on to serve with distinction in Spain, Portugal, and France, and was also present at Waterloo in 1815.

The Tavingtons spent their later years quietly, enjoying their children and the several grandchildren they were presented with.

General William Tavington died in London in 1832, with Charlotte following him in 1840.

**The Tavington children:**

1. William Tavington, Jr, born in South Carolina, January 1781

2. Anna Elizabeth Tavington, born in London, July 1783

3. John Edward Tavington, born in London, May 1785

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

**James and Mary Bordon**

Upon returning to England in the spring of 1783, Major James Bordon immediately sold his commission, bringing Mary to live at one of his family's estates in Devon. Mary was immediately accepted by the large Bordon clan, as was the daughter of her first marriage, Susan. She was legally adopted by James Bordon, taking on her adoptive father's surname. Another child, a daughter, arrived a year after the Bordons returned to England.

James Bordon returned to his law studies, which had been interrupted by the American war, and served admirably in that profession for many years. He was elected as an MP for the first time in 1792, and was re-elected every time he ran.

In due time, the Bordons were able to start the horse farm they'd always dreamed of. Though it was a small operation, as the couple considered it mainly a hobby, it was work they both enjoyed. It later grew into a large farm under the tutelage of their son who made it his life's work, supplying mounts to the British army for many years.

James Bordon died at the age of sixty-five, when he was thrown from his horse and broke his neck in the middle of a fox hunt. Mary Bordon lived on until the ripe old age of eighty-four, consoling herself in widowhood with the attention of her children and grandchildren. After her husband's death, she resumed her friendship with Charlotte Tavington, with the two women exchanging letters for the rest of their lives.

**The Bordon children:**

1. Susan Miller Bordon, born in South Carolina in 1771

2. George Horatio Bordon, born in New York in 1783

3. Julia Grace Bordon, born in Devon in 1784

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

**Marcus and Ruth Tapp**

Arriving in the fledgling New Brunswick town of St. Andrews in the spring of 1783, Marcus Tapp had his work cut out for him, having to establish the law enforcement infrastructure from the ground up. He was soon able to do this, however, assisted by several fellow former dragoons who had decided to settle in St. Andrews and in the surrounding county. These men he appointed as deputies and constables. He soon acquired a no-nonsense reputation and, as in Charlestown, many of the residents of the area feared him just as he'd been in Charlestown as the "Devil on Horseback".

At first building a small, but well-built home for his small family in St. Andrews, it was later added on to every few years as his family grew to a total of five children. When he retired after twenty years as Sheriff of Charlotte County, the original home had grown into a sprawling mansion, paid for by his continued illegal businesses on the side, along with bribery and kickbacks.

Though never abusive to Ruth and their five children, he was nevertheless an inattentive husband and father, though his family was well provided for financially. His job as sheriff often took him away from home for days at a time to attend to the business of the county and his own personal schemes. Two of his sons became deputies as they grew up, with the oldest eventually becoming sheriff himself after his father retired. The third son moved to New York as soon as he came of age, never to see his parents again.

As well as the five children he had with Ruth, he sired a set of twins on a woman who lived in a remote area of the county in 1786, after he'd jailed her husband. One of the twins died at birth, but he acknowledged the other, whom he supported financially. Though Ruth learned of this through the grapevine, she never spoke of it to her husband, nor did he ever bring it up with her. Over the years, she'd become accustomed to Tapp's frequent dalliances with other women, as this was the nature of the beast, and because none of the dalliances ever became serious.

Because of her husband's reputation, Ruth was prevented from making close friends with any of the women in town, save James Wilkins' wife, Abigail. Wilkins, who served as the Mayor of St. Andrews for many years, and his wife enjoyed a close friendship with the Tapps for the rest of their lives.

Ruth pre-deceased her husband, dying in 1835, with Marcus Tapp following her in 1837.

**The Tapp children:**

1. Martha Amelia, born in Charlestown, SC, July 1781

2. Marcus Obadiah, Jr, born in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, July 1783

3. Hannah Ruth, born in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, December 1784

4. William Thomas, born in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, June 1786

5. Benjamin Charles, born in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, November 1787

**Marcus Tapp's by-blows**

In addition to the set of twins born in 1786, Marcus Tapp is known to have sired at least two other by-blows, neither of whom he was ever made aware of.

1. Obadiah Hakeswill, born in Yorkshire, May 1770.

While temporarily staying in England in 1769 while waiting to return to America to take a position as Sheriff of Gloucester County, NJ, Marcus Tapp had a brief dalliance with a young woman named Biddy Hakeswill, which resulted in a son, after he'd left England. Readers are directed to read Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series of books in order to see how Obadiah's life proceeded.

2. Marcus William Reardon, born in Charlestown, June 1783

It seems that Marcus Tapp left something with Molly Reardon, after all. Young Marcus became the apple of his mother's eye and was the only child she ever had. She continued as madam of the Charlestown brothel for many years, until her son eventually took over operations - he was truly his father's son. Molly Reardon, being illiterate, never informed Marcus Tapp of his son's birth.

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**The Martin children**

The remaining Martin children continued to live with Benjamin Martin's sister until they grew up and started their own lives. The oldest girl, Margaret, married a prosperous farmer and eventually became mistress of a large plantation, larger than the one her aunt owned. Each of the boys were apprenticed, one to a local lawyer, another to a local doctor, and the youngest to a carpenter. The youngest girl, Susan, became the wife of a widowed older man, raising both her own and his motherless children.

None of them ever forgot their father and their two siblings, all killed by William Tavington, and all uniting in shunning their aunt when she came to Charleston to visit them, accompanied by her odious husband. Likewise, they never had any contact whatsoever with their Tavington cousins.

-End-

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**Author's Note: **All good things must come to an end, and this is so for this story. I could have gone on writing it for quite some time to come, but I didn't want to beat it into the ground. It's taken me over a year to write this story and it's been a lot of fun. I appreciate all my readers and reviewers, and those who gave helpful suggestions along the way. I am presently writing a new story in the Sharpe series genre entitled, "Let This Heart Be Still". It can be accessed through my profile.


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